Season Preview: Saugus girls’ tennis expects a team effort

First-year coach Bethany Larsen is ready to provide the Saugus girls? tennis team guidance as it returns to the Northeastern Conference after a single season in the Cape Ann League.
?The opportunity to join the tennis program was presented to me just a few weeks ago and I was thrilled to take on the challenge,” Larsen said. “This is a very solid roster of 30 girls that has proven to be an extremely tight-knit group. They are definitely excited to be back in the NEC.”
For the past three years, Larsen has served as Saugus? spring track coach as well as a cheerleading coach. Knowing an adjustment period was unavoidable, she made sure to bring on a familiar face to assist her in the transition.
?I reached out to a colleague of mine, Chris Buss, to join me on this journey and together we have really worked hard to support and help the team prepare for a successful season in any way possible,” Larsen said. “We?re both very happy to be here.”
Senior co-captains Samantha Delaney, who will compete in doubles, and Emma Turgeon, in singles, will take on larger leadership roles along with a group of seven other seniors, including doubles players Olivia Chaves, Bianca Rosato and Caitlin Williamson, and Deanna Velasquez, who will compete in singles.
?There was only one senior lost from last season?s roster so many of these girls are returning with plenty of varsity experience,” said Larsen, who will also have nine juniors on the squad.
With their home court consistently covered in snow, the Sachems, like just about every other team in the area, were forced indoors for much of the offseason until a helping hand provided the team with a change of scenery prior to its season opener on April 8, at Danvers.
?Harvard University was generous enough to invite us to their indoor courts for a two-hour training clinic,” said Larsen.
She also devised a clever — albeit, unorthodox — training regimen for her players as well as their supporters.
?As part of our conditioning, the girls and a group of their parents got together to shovel, scrape and plow the courts until they were free of snow,” she said. “Now, we?re just hoping for some warmer weather to melt any ice away so we can get back outside this week.”
Matt Fraser can be reached [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at@MattFraserDI.