“While we play to win, the game is not about focusing on winning or losing, but more of the process, which includes working hard and taking each match as a lesson to be learned,” coach Jimmy Rosenheim said. The new year brings in a new team, along with incessant rain and, despite a start as rocky as the weather, the Cardinals pushed through.

On March 11, the boys’ tennis team claimed its first victory of the year against the Washington Eagles 5-2. Junior singles players Alex Zhu and Will Scharffenberger showed their outstanding skill in the sport on courts one and two, respectively. Zhu won, repeatedly killing his serves, leaving his opponent trembling in his shoes, trying to anticipate his aces. Although Scharffenberger lost his match, he initially made his opponent traverse the court, keeping the ball low and his opponent on his toes. Yet in the end, Scharffenberger was unable to score the vital winning points.

The win against the Eagles broke the Cardinals’ two game losing streak during their preseason against Redwood and Aptos High. Although the team lost their first two games, the players remained headstrong. “We lost valiantly, but it was not for a lack of effort,” Rosenheim said. “The team has done more than what I can ask of them.”

The boys had a short preseason due to the rain, which lead to canceled games and practices in the weight room. The team expressed regret at the lack of competitive play. “We only had two preseason games,” senior doubles player Willis Chan said. “That’s only a small sample size and preseason simply gets us prepared for the regular season.”

The new year also ushered in a bigger team of 36 players. “The upperclassmen have created a welcoming environment for the underclassmen, which has impressed me,” Rosenheim said.

While a big team may make room for a stronger team in the long run, it has its own setbacks. “There are often times where there are not enough courts, and although Jimmy’s a capable coach, looking after 36 people is difficult,” sophomore doubles player Calvin Chung said.

Rosenheim has lined up teams of higher caliber for the Cardinals to play against this year, and thus put the team through more conditioning in preparation. “We’re focusing a lot on conditioning and it helps our footwork,” senior doubles player Dylan Tong said.

Because the team seeks tougher competition beyond San Francisco, they have been preparing for their three-day trip to the San Diego Tournament on March 18 by holding various fundraisers. They have sold candy and lumpia.

Come watch the boys at 3:30 p.m. on March 22 in Golden Gate Park against Galileo.