“There’s Just No Environment Like Tennis” – Girls Tennis Participancy Reaches a Record High

During the 2025-2026 season, the Hastings High girls tennis team increased in size by 38%, marking a historical high.

This year, the team has a total of 36 girls playing on the JV and varsity teams, alongside the reserve JV players. In 2023, the entire girls tennis team had 27 girls; in 2024 the team had 24; and last year there were 26.

“It’s been a fun, new challenge for me to see the amount of people that I’ve actually been able to grow throughout the season… [and] seeing just light bulb moments come and smiles come when something does actually happen or go well,” Girls Tennis Head Coach Mark Gueswell said.

A number of the girls this year joined through word of mouth, after friends on the team convinced them to join. Some players said they were told it would help them improve in other sports, while others joined because of Gueswell’s encouragement.

“For me, it was definitely Gueswell because I was debating whether to do soccer or tennis. He was like, ‘Just try tennis, and if you don’t like it, then you can switch,’” Freshman JV player Arianna Hoffman said.

While several players cite Gueswell influenced their decision to join, Gueswell does not believe he was the primary reason for the influx of new members. Additionally, last year, the team placed seventh at state. But, Gueswell does not think that caused the growth either. Instead, he attributed it to the tennis culture at Hastings High. 

“The program doesn’t have to be great talent wise. That’s not what all the culture’s about,” Gueswell said. “We want to be there to encourage each other, love each other, and serve one another. I’m very fortunate to have some awesome girls on the team that are willing to follow that and hold people to it.”

Guesswell called encouragement, love, and service the pillars of the tennis team — what he believes gives identity to the tennis community and has since grown with the new additions. For athletes such as Hoffman and Sophomore JV player Kennedy Bruckman, who play several sports, the difference in environment was what immediately caught their attention.

“When I joined basketball or volleyball, it was kind of scary having to meet new people,” Bruckman said. “I feel like in tennis, it’s a lot more fun and everybody enjoys it.”

Hoffman found that while on the tennis court, she felt more motivated and less pressured than she did when engaging in other sports.

“Sometimes when I would go to volleyball, I’d be like, ‘I really don’t want to go to practice today. I’m not in the mood,’ but in tennis, it’s always like, “Yeah, I’m ready to go. I’m excited,’” Hoffman said.

As over a dozen new players filled the court at the same time, one shift the athletes noticed was an increase in social interaction. The growth has given them a chance to learn new personalities they may have seen in the halls but never had the chance to speak with.

“I think it’s sometimes nice having a lot of people because you get to interact with a bunch of different people that you normally don’t get to talk to,” Hoffman said.

For Hoffman and Bruckman, that included getting to know each other. In the past, both girls only knew each other through shared classes or activities like volleyball.

“I think we get to know each other on a deeper level based on our behavior when we play,” Bruckman said. “We know how to calm each other down, and it’s like we’re becoming better players together. That’s just really nice and special.”

Hoffman and Bruckman are doubles partners who made it onto the JV roster this year, which consists of the top eight players outside of varsity. 

“As a person who’s never played before and it’s your first year, to be considered next to varsity, that’s pretty special,” Bruckman said.

The tennis season has given the duo numerous chances to bond and make new memories. One of their favorite moments was playing against an Adams Central duo, who were seeded above them, and winning 6-5.

“It was a really long match, and all of the varsity people came in to watch us. Then we had everybody supporting us, and when we came off like, ‘We just won!’ They were cheering us on. It was really crazy. I loved it,” Bruckman said.

While the team’s increase has given the players the opportunity to form relationships and grow closer, it has also come along with challenges. At Hastings High, the team is limited to six courts and two carts of tennis balls, which reduces the amount of practice each player can get. 

“It’s hard because the courts are so small… and it’s almost like a challenge because you’re fighting your way up to the top,” Freshman Emalyn Hawes said.

They also struggle with adjusting to an entirely new sport and getting a grasp of its fundamentals. For the JV duo, that lack of experience sometimes makes them feel out of place.

“It’s hard to get over the learning curve because everybody’s played for at least a year for the level that me and Kennedy are at, and it’s weird being just new to it,” Hoffman said.

However, the team acknowledged they are not alone and that Gueswell often helps them overcome these hurdles.

“He definitely wants us to be better at tennis, which is kind of hard with the schedule balances,”  Bruckman said. “But, he is really supportive about it if you’re overwhelmed.”

At times, Hoffman feels intimidated being placed on JV, but her impression of Gueswell remains consistent.

“It definitely puts you under a lot of pressure because you are held to such high expectations, and sometimes you’d rather just give up,” Hoffman said. “But, since you’re so high on the ladder… I feel like it’s also nice to be held to such high expectations because he knows that you’re good and he could see us improve.”

Bruckman, who is going 0-5 in doubles and 1-0 in singles, will be playing as first seed singles at the St. Paul invitational on Friday, May 8. Like Hoffman, she is taking an optimistic approach towards the pressure as a first-year player.

“I feel like [Gueswell] is putting me there because he thinks that I have the potential to be better, and I really love that with him because I feel like I need a chance to prove myself,” Bruckman said. “I’m really excited for it.”

Aside from Gueswell, several of the new players believe the constant support of their senior members help the team stay organized, something they noted was different from other sports.

“Addi [Clark], she’s really supportive and she wants everybody to cheer everybody on,” Hoffman said. “Sophie [Jarmer] and Karsyn [Hill] are also like that. If you were to ask them for tips on how to do something, they would tell you and be like ‘Yeah, you’re doing great.’ They’re just very good leaders in general.”

Senior varsity player Sophie Jarmer was quick to note the attitudes of the new recruits and take them under her wing.

“For high school tennis, it is usually your first time picking up a racket unless you started young… so it’s kind of like a growing opportunity for your first year,” Jarmer said. “‘Do I want to take this seriously, or am I just going to do the mess around route?’ and I feel like we have a lot of people who are really taking it seriously, so the culture is amazing.”

However, although the varsity athletes sometimes doubt themselves, Gueswell does not. He believes they have been leading the team and upholding the community’s pillars.

“They’ve done a phenomenal job this year,” Gueswell said. “They’re very vocal, probably the most vocal leaders I’ve had in the last couple years. They lead by example. They know what we stand for, and that’s the best part about it.”

As the season passes, the varsity members are continuously seeing themselves grow in experience, confidence, and leadership.

“I would say I was a lot more nervous starting last year because I was going in expecting to play singles, and then when I was put into doubles, it was like a whole new thing for me,” Sophomore Varsity Player Kylie Ansbach said. “But, I feel like this year I have more experience.”

For long-time players like Jarmer and Ansbach, practicing alongside dozens of first-time tennis players reminded them of when they first joined the sport.

“I watch them, and I’m like, ‘I used to slap the ball like that. I remember when I had to whip out the Topspin Pro,’” Jarmer said. “Seeing them do… all the stuff they’re having to learn for the first time… it’s like a refreshment for myself because sometimes it really is just going back to the basics.”

This year, the duo will be competing in the No. 1 Doubles Division, a step up from last year’s No. 2 Doubles Division. Although the two are excited to be playing at a higher level and have a record of 7-3 this season, the change has also brought on new pressures.

“This year, I feel like with us doing so well last year… and expecting the same thing and not getting that has been a little frustrating,” Ansbach said. “But, I think we’re starting to get more of a hang of it.”

Yet, despite the expectations, the team is pushing forward with an optimistic mindset as they continue forward into the season.

“I think we just kind of need to channel the energy we had last year and not think about it as ‘we’re playing one-doubles’ and think about it as ‘we’re playing Sophie and Kylie tennis,’” Jarmer said. “We have a great dynamic… we haven’t really hit our groove yet.”

Several of the players believe that optimism stems from the tennis culture at Hastings High — one built upon community and supporting one another. Some find those moments of motivation within their bondings, such as their team dinner earlier in April.

“The volleyball was a blast to watch,” Gueswell said. “You have 20 people on each side just trying to hit a ball back and it’s chaos, just pure chaos, but lots of laughter, lots of fun, and lots of people getting hit with volleyballs, including myself.”

Gueswell and the varsity team said the moments they feel closest are when they stop for treats on the way to invitationals.

“The amount of smiles and joy that came from just a simple gesture of ice cream was awesome — just the happiness and the joy that people have to live life and be on a team,” Gueswell said.

Sometimes, optimism and community grow through something as simple as their shared love for Taco Bell.

“Gueswell talks about it so much! He sometimes bribes you with Taco Bell, like, ‘If you do this, I’ll buy you Taco Bell, but if you don’t, then you’re buying me Taco Bell,’” Ansbach said. “He always says that, but I don’t think he ever fully follows through with it though, which is sad.”

For Jarmer and Ansbach, it is specifically a shared appreciation for the Baja Blast and steak grilled cheese burrito.

“Baja Blast is just a staple. It’s so refreshing. It’s so summertime,” Jarmer said. “But, my favorite is probably a steak grilled cheese burrito. Please quote me on that.”

All of it — the bonding, the laughter, even the burritos — has the team ready to finish off the season strong as they head off to the EMC conference on May 11 and the NSAA State Tennis Championships on May 26.

“For seniors, my expectation is just to go out with a bang,” Jarmer said. “Whether it’s winning or losing, just have fun… I’m just trying to savor every match, every moment.”

For Gueswell, that is the bottom line: enjoying the moments they have and having fun together — even when there are moments of doubt regarding the increasing number of athletes or lack of coaches.

“It’s just another opportunity to get to know people, because that’s where the beauty of life comes into — the personalities that you get to know and the people that you surround yourself with,” Gueswell said.

And that connection, both on and off the court, is not lost on the players.

“There’s just no environment like tennis,” Bruckman said.