Quincy tennis focusing on the mental game

QUINCY — New Quincy girls tennis coach Joahan Fregoso said the team is set up to challenge his players, which helps them over the course of the season. 

"I feel like a big strength is (that) our girls really compete with the boys (in practice), which keeps them on their toes, which is really good for them,” he said. 

There are things the team needs to work on, however.

“I think the thing that we can work on is, communicating on the court,” Fregoso said. 

Quincy is a member of the 2A Central Washington Athletic Conference, and the mental game is important in a competitive league. 

“We really want to have these kids' mindsets really straight. They want to be strong minded within the court, especially on singles,” he said. “You have no one else with you to talk to. It's you versus the player versus yourself. We really work on keeping them strong minded on the court, looking when to attack the ball and things like that.” 

The Jacks have more than 30 girls out for tennis and 18 boys, about half of them returning from last year. Many Quincy players haven’t played much, if any, tennis before they join the team. Fregoso said the coaches try to make sure every player gets the chance to improve. 

“I feel like our environment is really welcoming. We encourage our kids to come out here and try the new sport,” he said. “It can be scary trying to brand new sport for some kids, but we try to keep it welcoming for them, and we try our hardest to help them improve.” 

Fregoso served as the JV coach before taking over as girls head coach and is a Quincy High tennis veteran. 

“I played at this Quincy High School for one year, and then I played at the old high school, before they built this new one, for three years,” he said. 

That familiarity with the program attracted the attention of boys coach Rollie Ronish when he needed some assistance with the junior varsity.  

“The boys head coach was my brother’s tennis partner, and they went to state together,” he said. “He came out and talked to me about coaching with him, and I said, ‘It'll be a good gig.’ So, I ended up joining him.” 

Fregoso said he’s looking at the job of girls head coach as the next step in his coaching career.  

“The next step, and maybe I can help this team a little more,” Fregoso said.  

    Denisse Ruvalcaba warms up during an early-season practice.
  

    Fatima Alvarado, foreground, returns the ball during a recent practice as Maria Ortiz watches.