Seniors Kadyn Boyd and Allison Brown joined the 2025 Shadow Ridge High School tennis team to try something new and gain a totally new kind of experience than they had ever had before. After hearing that the girls team needed more girls, Boyd and Brown jumped on the opportunity and into a great time.
Brown said, “It felt like a sign!” and she definitely listened. After joining, it wasn’t exactly a piece of cake but with the help and support of the team, Brown and Boyd were both able to feel completely welcomed and excited for what was going to come.
As they practiced, Brown realized that just being able to learn the basics was a big accomplishment.
“Seeing myself improve was huge too,” says Brown.
As she went through the season and difficult moments, the most important thing was having those close relationships with her teammates and Boyd completely agreed.
“My teammates’ support truly got me through the hard moments,” Boyd said. “Tennis felt really technical but the guidance and coaching of Blake Ballantyne and Connor Fife paved the way for my tennis career.”
Not only did their friends help guide them through the ways of tennis but they also made sure they enjoyed it and had a lot of fun throughout the whole season.
Boyd and Brown’s teammates were such good examples to them and always made them feel like an asset to the team. Brown explains “Everyday my teammates would give me extra practice, encourage me to try my hardest, cheer me on from the sidelines, and make me feel important. They made me love tennis!” After finding this new love for the sport, Boyd and Brown were even happier to play in doubles matches and having the best time together.
“Our practices and our matches together were full of laughter and fun every single time,” said Boyd. Throughout their whole season, Boyd and Brown were able to enjoy each other’s company and constantly have fun with their team. They ended up loving it so much and would gladly recommend everyone to join just like they did.
“Dont overthink it, be yourself, and have FUN,” Brown states. “Tennis was always a party and choosing to join was an amazing decision. Even if you’re starting from rock bottom (like me) there will always be someone there to help you improve, as well as someone to be your greatest friend.”
With no regrets of joining, Brown and Boyd had the time of their lives joining the tennis team for their last memories in high school.
