As the boys tennis team serves up a new season, they’ll have a new head coach leading the way. After Mr. Heimann, who has been the boys tennis coach for many years stepped down, Bryan Middle School teacher Miss Courtney Bison has been selected to fill the top spot.

Mr. Heimann had stepped down coaching boys tennis last year due to the birth of a child.  He decided to continue to spend time with family, thus leaving the spot open for a new head coach. However, this may not be the end of Heimann’s time as a tennis coach. He may come back in the future in addition to remaining with the girls tennis program and tennis summer camps he has done in previous years. In the meantime though, Heimann is very confident in the team and the new coaching staff.

“The program is in good hands,” Heimann said. “I feel great with Coach Bison and Coach Urbanski, and it’s very comforting for me to see that the boys can succeed with these coaches.”

Bison has been a tennis coach for the past fifteen years. She has coached at private clubs in the area and has coached girls tennis at the varsity and JV high school level. So, having been involved with tennis for many years, when she saw the opportunity to coach once again she rushed to the opportunity.

“I’m excited to be the new head coach because I have a huge passion for the game of tennis,” Bison said. “Tennis is both an individual and team sport and supports problem-solving and team building all in one. I hope to spread the joy of tennis to all of the players this season so that we as a team can grow together.”

As tryouts started on Monday, Bison got her first look of the team as a whole. Around 60 boys tried out for the team, so the team will be divided into a varsity, and two junior varsity teams. However, players will not necessarily remain in their respective teams throughout the entire season.

“We have a fluid program, which means a player can start at one level and move to another level as the season progresses,” Bison said. “We are encouraging friendly competition and want the boys to motivate themselves to become the best they can be.”

Now that tryouts have finished and the team is set, the players will begin to settle in with the new coaching staff. For some of the athletes, tryouts were the first time they had met Bison but it seems Bison has already made a good impression on the athletes.

“She’s a very professional coach,” sophomore Kevin Schultz said. “She is strict but she keeps on task and the positive results in everyone’s skills have already greatly improved since yesterday [day one of tryouts].”

As Bison continues to settle in, most of the athletes who have trained hard during the offseason are ready to get into the season to become the best players they can be.

“Every player has room to grow and setting goals for ourselves is what is going to bring us to the next level,” Bison said. “We will thrive as a tennis team when we’re supporting each other on a regular basis.”

It remains to be seen how her coaching style will differentiate from Heimann’s, but one thing is for certain: this year will be the start of an exciting new era for boys tennis.