USTA Grant Helps Gothenburg High School Start Girls' Tennis Team

Thanks in part to a grant from the USTA, Gothenburg High School started up a girls’ tennis team, competing in Class B for the state of Nebraska. Coach Angela Piper said they have worked for about three years to bring the team to fruition.

“We only have three courts in Gothenburg, so while this was exciting, it was a bit overwhelming,” Piper said. “On the first day of practice, 25 girls showed up. As the season continued, we had a team of 18 devoted girls.”

Originally from McCook, Piper played high school tennis for McCook High School. Starting a team from scratch, she said, was very rewarding. She sought help from her former coach, Matt Weimers, along with other area high school coaches. Once they were able to get a schedule, the rest of the season fell into place.

“I was told the Nebraska tennis community was close-knit, but I was incredibly surprised by the amount of help and offers we received,” she said. “We were asked to play in more invites and we received more contracts for duals. This allowed our girls to get some great experience and to play quality tennis.”

The biggest challenge over the course of the season, Piper said, was the wind adding to tough playing conditions. Other than that, the team placed fifth in two invites and had one player with an eighth-place finish at the state tournament. Piper also put together a summer tennis team for high school players and community members, so is keeping tennis alive and well within the community.

“I was so honored to be a part of this team,” Piper said. “At our initial meeting, we talked about goals for the year; to learn, to improve, and hopefully love the game as much as I do. We surprised both our competitors and the community that we will compete with the best of them, and hopefully make it enjoyable to play us.”

Piper said there is already interest in putting together a boys’ tennis team and she is helping to make that a reality as well.

To learn more about USTA Missouri Valley grants, click here.