Story by Carter Gette
Image courtesy of goredbirds.com
NORMAL Ill.- The Illinois State Men’s Tennis season is coming to a close and this means there is time for the players to work on their craft and get stronger in the offseason. With an experienced team, an exciting spring season brings lots of opportunity. Head Coach Mark Klysner believes the Redbirds “have big things ahead of them”.
When discussing the season, Klynser was pleased with how the Redbirds had performed but noted that there is always room for improvement. Something he was even happier about was the team’s health. “With the day in age we live in now, I’m thankful we got through the fall with no significant injuries or illnesses”, he exclaimed. A team’s health can be a large factor in the results of their season, and this helped the Illinois State roster tremendously.
Coaches are hired to help players reach their full potential and to push them when they need it. Each coach has their own philosophy on how this is done, and Kylsner’s approach seems to be working for. A piece of advice that Klysner regularly shares with his team is, “you can only control what you can control, and do not worry about the other things (outside factors)”. Focus is key during a match and this mindset is what he believes helps his players succeed.
With an impressive spring schedule full of power five opponents, the Redbirds will look to fine-tune their skills and make sure that they are ready to compete come January 15th against army. For more information on the team visit the Redbirds athletics page or visit wznd.com