EPHRATA – Courtney Burck has stepped into the role of the new varsity boys tennis coach at Ephrata High School with excitement and has an appreciation for the help she’s gotten as she takes on the new role going into the 2024 spring tennis season.

“I’ve gotten a lot of support from the other varsity coach for girls, as well as the (junior varsity) coaches, and player-wise, they’ve been really open and welcoming, which has been great,” Burck said.

Walking into the situation as a teacher at Grant Elementary with a clean slate and no biases for or against any of the student-athletes in her charge has been a good way to get things rolling, she said. The team has held up a positive attitude and helps one another out, with some leaders stepping forward and everyone supporting one another on the court. While she does have some returning seniors and juniors, she’s excited to be able to build a team with players from all grade levels at EHS. 

“I’m really excited about the younger kids and that group we’re getting in, because that’s what you want is kids that you can continue to build a program with, and so, it’s nice to see,” Burck said. 

She said Josh Mullings has stood out as a leader this year.

“I think a lot of the team looks to Josh Mullings. He’s a very strong singles player. He went to state last year, so he definitely has a strong tennis background,” Burck said. 

Other upperclassmen on the boys tennis team are backing Mullings up, she said. The juniors, of which there are several, tend to support one another well.

“It’s really cool how they just all mesh very well together from what I’ve seen,” Burck said. 

There are 19 total players on the boys team, including varsity and non-varsity, Burck said. With a strong showing of players showing up, she’s focused on ensuring they have the skills and competitive drive to succeed on the court. 

“I’m focusing skill-wise a lot on playing at the net, volleying, being aggressive,” she said. “Serving is coming into play a lot, just being able to get the ball in (play) because that’s the starting point.” 

Keeping the team agile and moving is important as well, she said. 

During drills on Tuesday, Burck had the boys near the net, away from the net and serving in turns as they all worked to develop core skills. The camaraderie of the team stood out as players joked with one another, pointed out form improvements for one another and worked to get volleys going across the net. 

That support for one another and drive to improve the team overall helps Burck move the team forward, she said. 

“A lot of them simply want to get better, so (they just focus on) improvement in their skills, which is awesome. I have a few kids who really want to be competitive within the league, and post-league as well. So, keeping that competitive nature with them – I think they’re looking forward to that and seeing where they can finish the season,” Burck said. 

While competition is important, she hopes the team doesn’t lose the sense of camaraderie it has now. She wants them to enjoy the game.

Preseason play will help her set up different pairings for doubles play and evaluate the skills she wants to focus on with each player. It’s about development and keeping students engaged in the sport. 

“I mean, really, in my mind, it’s anybody’s game, and I think as long as we go out there and we’re competitive, and we hustle, and we’re willing to go after every ball, we can probably be one of the top teams,” Burck said. 

Ephrata Boys Tennis Schedule

March 9 - at Quincy - 11 a.m.

March 12 - at Chelan - 4 p.m.

March 14 - vs Cashmere - 3 p.m.

March 21 - vs East Valley (Yakima) - 3 p.m.

March 23 - at Selah - 10 a.m.

March 30 - vs Ellensburg - 10 a.m.

April 6 - at Grandview - 10 a.m.

April 9 - vs Prosser - 3 p.m.

April 11 - at Othello - 3 p.m.

April 13 - vs Moses Lake - 10 a.m.

April 16 - at East Valley (Yakima) - 3 p.m.

April 18 - vs Selah - 3 p.m.

April 20 - at Ellensburg - 10 a.m.

April 23 - vs Grandview - 3 p.m.

April 26/27 - at Inland Empire Tournament - 9 a.m.

April 29 - vs Prosser - 3 p.m.

May 2 - vs Othello - 3 p.m.

    Bowen Summers works close to the net during drills at Tuesday’s boys tennis practice. Summers and his teammates are working to make sure they can get to the ball and hit it back regardless of their proximity to the net.
  

    Jett Julian loosens up while working on doubles play during Tuesday’s practice. Coach Courtney Burck is working to ensure Tiger tennis players are agile and ready to go after the ball aggressively as they move into preseason play this weekend.