The 2025 spring sports season gets underway Thursday with the Iola High School tennis team taking the court.
The Mustangs host Independence, Parsons and potentially Neodesha on Thursday for what will be its only home meet.
“I’m feeling pretty good about it. We’re jumping right in,” said Iola coach Chris Belknap.
The Mustangs come into the season loaded with experience. After a relative rebuild with no seniors on the 2024 roster, Iola returns six of eight from last year’s team as well as a few newcomers.
One new edition is German foreign exchange student Simon Mueller, who is new to tennis but experienced in racquetball. Another newcomer is freshman Mosiah Fawson, who has a pedigree of tennis talent.
Iola High School junior Payton Kern digs up a shot during a match in April of 2024.
“We’ll have three completely new to tennis, so we have room to improve,” Belknap said. “Fawson is pretty experienced. I think he could wake up in the middle of the night and start playing a game.”
While many programs host an exhibition or jamboree before starting a new season, tennis starts right out of the gates with competitions.
Belknap believes the fast start will not be an issue for the Mustangs.
“It’s a good learning experience to get tossed in,” he said.
Belknap illuminated how tennis differs from other sports.
“We don’t have umpires. We don’t have refs. We can’t coach our players while they’re playing. During changeovers we can talk to them, but they have to know the rules otherwise they get called out for it.”
Belknap especially likes how the experienced players help coach the underclassmen and newcomers.
It’s a win-win, he said. As an underclassmen learns, the upperclassman also benefits by reinforcing good technique into their larger set of skills. “Players also respect the advice from their peers, sometimes more than when it comes from me,” he said.
The Pioneer League is loaded with talented and experienced players, Belknap said. The competition only increases at the regional level.
The Mustangs will get their first taste of what’s to come at Thursday’s matches.
“We’re going to have to work at it, for sure, but I think we’ve got a chance at success,” Belknap said.
