Welcome
to Westwood Tennis
The Westwood Warriors are
looking for dedicated student-athletes who take pride in their school and are
willing to make a maximum effort in both the classroom and on the tennis
court. Wearing a Westwood uniform is a privilege, one that carries both responsibilities
and rewards.
Tryouts begin Wednesday, May 27 for incoming freshman boys and Thursday, May
28 for incoming freshman girls--this will be your opportunity to learn more
about the philosophy and expectations of the Westwood program, and to make
your best impression on the Westwood coaching staff.
Athletic
Paperwork
You can only attend tryouts
if you have completed your physical. Your physical must be dated on May
16th, 2009 or after to be valid for this school year. After you
have completed the necessary physical paperwork, turn it into the Westwood HS
trainers. You must be on their "cleared" list to be eligible
for tryouts. All information must be completed and submitted no later
than Tuesday,May 26th to participate in tryouts for the 2009 season.
*We recommend the district
wide physical at McNeil High School on May 16th, 2009, but do not require
it.*
**RRISD
& Westwood High School Policy States Physicals ARE REQUIRED FOR
TRYOUTS. If you have any questions please contact our Athletic
Trainers: Greg Bauer 464-4053 or Monica Matocha 464-4120 **
***DO NOT
BRING YOUR ATHLETIC PAPERWORK TO THE WESTWOOD TENNIS COACHING STAFF. ***
Tryout
Schedule
Wednesday, May 27 incoming 9th
grade boys will have tryouts at 4pm and should last no longer than 6pm
Thursday, May 28 incoming 9th
grade girls will have tryouts at 4pm and should last no longer than 6pm.
The Freshman team will be
announced no later than Friday, May 29, 2009. You must be a part of the
Westwood tennis team to be in the tennis class at Westwood.
Varsity Tryouts will be
Wednesday, August 12 and Thursday, August 13. Incoming freshman should tryout and make the
freshman team before trying out for the Varsity Team in August.
What to
Bring and What to Wear
Comfortable Athletic Wear,
Tennis Shoes, and your Tennis Racket are required for tryouts.
You should bring your own
bottled water or reusable water bottle for tryouts.
Tryout
Criteria
The coaching staff will be
looking for coachable athletes who have a great work ethic and want to learn
to be better players and teammates.
Prospective student
athletes will be tested and evaluated for their overall athletic ability and
level of tennis skill. Coaches will apply the following skill (in this
order):
Attitude: Players who are positive,
competitive, and eager to learn.
Athletic Ability: Players with the ability to learn
and perform complex skills.
What to
Expect at Tryouts
Expect to work hard. You
will be asked to perform all physical testing and drills at full speed. You
should run when shagging balls, when moving from drill to drill and when
going to and from water breaks. You will not sit down during tryouts, except
during water breaks.
ATTITUDE EVALUATION:
Prospective Westwood Tennis players should be willing to try hard, make
mistakes, learn from those mistakes and keep trying. Coaches will take note
of those players who listen, follow directions, and ask questions when
necessary.
SKILL/COMPETITION
EVALUATION: Prospective players will be asked to demonstrate their
understanding of basic tennis skills (forehand, backhand, volleys, and serve)
in competitive situations.
As with most sports,
coaches will evaluate players for their ability and potential to fill the
needs of the team.
How to
Impress the Coaches
1. Help get out balls and
equipment.
2. Be among the first to
line up for drills or demonstrations.
3. Look the coach in the
eye when she/he speaks to you or to the team.
4. Be a champion ball
shagger.
5. Be among the first to
help put away equipment.
Options
for Players Not Selected
Tryouts are a difficult
time.
One of the toughest jobs
for any coach is the final decision about which players make the team, and
those who do not. The Westwood Tennis coaching staff strives to make all
decisions fairly, without bias, and after extended deliberation and
evaluation of each prospective student-athlete.
If you are not selected
this season, and would like to try out again in the future, there are other
options available to you that may help you in the future. (see website for
future dates and times).
1. Be a team manager.
Tennis managers have a chance to learn leadership and organizational skills
and fill a valuable role on the team.
2. Play another sport for
the Warriors. Fall sports at Westwood include volleyball, swimming and
cross-country; winter sports are basketball and soccer; in spring you can run
track, play golf or softball.
3. If you are planning to
tryout again at a later date and time. This is a list of
recommendations to get better over the summer:
- Take lessons: either
group and/or private
- Join USTA
- Play C.A.T.A. tournaments or ZAT tournaments
- Attend tennis camps. There is an active recreational tennis community
year-round in Austin. Most universities in Texas offer tennis
camps during June and July.
- Hit A LOT of tennis balls and work on your technique and mental game
- Don't give up
