Athlete of the Week: Bridget Epstein

Over the next week, girls tennis will continue to prepare for Regionals and State. Below is a Q&A with junior and Varsity player Bridget Epstein.

Q: What does a typical practice look like?
A: “Our practices start at 3:15 and we warm up by running a lap then doing stretches. Most days we just play singles or doubles practice sets with drills here and there. They’re only an hour and a half so we’re normally done around 4:45 if not earlier.”

Q: How did you prepare for this season?

A: “Over the summer I went to practices at [Kansas City United Tennis] most weekdays. Our practices are four hours so we’re able to do a lot of conditioning, practice sets and drilling.”

Q: What changes were made to this season?

A: “The season was cut really short because we lost a few weeks since sports were cancelled. We’ve had to play a lot of tournaments and duels every week to make up for the lost time. We also wear our masks the whole time except when we’re playing.”

Q: How do you feel about the season so far?

A: “I’m just really excited we were able to get to play. A lot of us were worried we weren’t going to get to play our high school season. They considered moving the season to the spring, but we wouldn’t have state. So I’m glad we’ll still be able to compete.”

Q: How do you think the team will perform this season?

A: “We all have been training together over the summer, which I think has helped us do well this season so far. I think as long as we keep playing hard and winning most of our matches we’ll do well as a team.”

Q: What are your goals for this season?

A: “I’m playing singles instead of doubles and am hoping that I can place well for the team. Last year we came super close with Blue Valley North, and I’m hoping this year we can come out on top.”