Taking the next step

Just get a little bit better each day.

That’s been the mindset for Whitefish senior Jack Oehlerich since his start on the tennis courts for the Bulldogs four years ago. 

“As a freshman I got thrown into singles and every year I have been improving and playing better players,” Oehlerich said on the eve of the Northwest A divisional in Polson. “As others graduate I’ve been trying to fill the role and keep improving and hopefully peak at State this year.” 

“He really always sets the tone for who we are,” Bulldogs coach Chris Schwaderer said. “We are always focused on what we can do to get better and I think a lot of that comes from Jack because that is kind of the way he operates.”  

Oehlerich started with the sport at age six when he lived with his family over in Germany.  

“It’s just really popular there,” Oehlerich said. “When we moved back to the States, I just kept playing and once the high school seasons came around I really started to take it seriously.” 

Oehlerich said his family came back stateside in 2017 and ended up in Whitefish around 2019. 

Being on the court brings joy to Oehlerich, but one thing brings a bit more happiness than anything else: winning. 

“You know that the work you put in has paid off and it really allows you to show your character,” Oehlerich said. 

That winning feeling became more common as he kept improving on the court. 

As a freshman, he missed out on the state tournament. Then in his sophomore campaign, he fell in the opening round when the tournament was in Kalispell before rattling off three wins to come back for a sixth-place finish. 

“I’ve just seen him evolve over the course of his tennis career,” Schwaderer said. “I knew right away that he was special. He had a really great focus and knew the game well. I always felt he had a really strong tennis IQ.” 

Schwaderer notes that Oehlerich is a great lead-by-example player, but also someone who the coaches can use to help assess some of the play from his Bulldogs teammates. 

“When I am coaching and watching other matches I will just pull Jack over and ask what he sees from his point of view,” Schwaderer said. “He always has really insightful things to say.” 

Last spring, things all seemed to align for Oehlerich as he won three matches to reach the state championship. There he met his toughest challenge in Libby’s Ryan Beagle. 

“It was a hot Billings day, and it was a mental challenge going up against someone I had never won against,” Oehlerich said. “I just tried to get in there and play as best as I could.” 

In the end Beagle was victorious for his second straight Class A singles title with a 6-3, 6-1 scoreline, but Oehlerich took the experience as a building block for this season. 

“I just tried to get that experience, learn from those pressure-filled moments as best as I could,” Oehlerich said. 

The Bulldogs did come away victorious in 2025, securing their eighth boys team championship. 

Now as a senior, Oehlerich sits with a perfect 14-0 record — 13 of the wins coming in straight sets — and with Beagle graduated looks in prime position to make a run at the individual championship. 

“I hope so,” Oehlerich said. 

To get there, he first needs to qualify for the state tournament at the Northwest A divisional. The top four finishers from each division lock their spots in the 16-player bracket. The State Tournament in Hardin runs on May 28-29. 

“He’s not overconfident. He’s not cocky. He doesn’t feel entitled,” Schwaderer said. “He is going to work hard and he is going to leave it all on the court.” 

Regardless of the results in Hardin, Oehlerich plans to continue playing tennis and soccer at either the club or intramural level in college. His current plan is to attend the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, though he is trying to go back to Germany for schooling at the University of Kempten. 

“I’ve spent a lot of time over there (in Germany) and am just trying to get back,” Oehlerich said. 

All that comes after Oehlerich tries to improve one final thing in his high school career: his place on the podium. 

Reporter Jon Allen can be reached at 406-758-4426 or [email protected]. If you value local journalism, pledge your support at dailyinterlake.com/support.