BVH houses many student athletes who make it into the CIF postseason rounds for their respective sports, and two student athletes in particular gained impactful successes in their latest season. Before closing out their strong season as a doubles partners for the tennis team, junior Ari Broudy and senior Freddy Schiantarelli worked together to qualify for the third round of their sport’s postseason.
“We played doubles together the whole year. We were in CIF, we made it furthest in BVH’s tennis doubles history, so our season was pretty successful,” Broudy said. “We were also able to go the farthest out of everyone in the Sweetwater Union High School District. It felt like we won almost every game we played.”
The duo weren’t the only ones who felt the dominance and achievements of the 2023-2024 tennis season. BVH Varsity Boys Tennis Coach Liza Tacher recognizes the doubles achievement during the tennis season and what its value to BVH. She further emphasizes the significance of the past season for Schiantarelli.
“Broudy and Schiantarelli had a great season with many great accomplishments, I’m very proud of the team and of these players. They helped the team with lots of wins and we’re going to miss Schiantarelli because he’s a senior,” Tacher said. “ I always miss my seniors and even though new players come in and there’s always new talent, they’re all my boys, I love the team and I love what they bring. Their talent, their attitudes, hard work and their enjoyment for the support in practices.”
Valuing the many factors that go into a successful tennis season, Tacher highlights the importance of a team’s chemistry. She explains the powerful chemistry between both Broudy and Schiantarelli on and off the court, further emphasizing the importance of players encouraging and building off of each other’s energies during matches.
“The key component is chemistry followed by attitude. If you don’t have good chemistry with your partner, it’s going to be very hard, once you have that then the rest flows. I tell my players, if you have a great attitude when you walk on the court, and you have good chemistry with your partner, great things can happen,” Tacher said.
Schiantarelli described his senior season as the “funnest” he’s played in, adding that the comedy opened his eyes to a friendly competition between him and Broudy, which only increased their output on the court. Moreover, the season’s joy developed the duo’s synchronized growth as they worked towards seamless matches throughout their successful run.
“In the beginning of the season, I felt like I wasn’t playing that well, but then as the season progressed, I was able to work with Broudy and I feel like I got better. He was giving me tips and we got better and successful as a team,” Schiantarelli said.
Furthermore, noting the significance of Broudy and Schiantarelli’s chemistry, Tacher explains how the two players’ skills and experience are able to build off of one another throughout their matches. She then describes the pressure and communication her players undergo on the court that leads them to success.
“They have very different styles and that works in their favor. Most importantly is their friendship, they don’t blame each other for mistakes. If one of them makes a mistake, it’s a mistake for both. Meaning if one of them hits a win, it’s a win for both. They are a team and that shows when youre watching them play,” Tacher said.
Both Broudy and Schiantarelli collectively thank Tacher for placing emphasis on the sacrifice, endurance and passion needed for the BVH tennis players to bring out during their seasons. Therefore Tacher expresses her hopes to push more players like Broudy and Schiantarelli to CIF rounds and ultimately bring success to her players.
“Tennis is a mental game and one of the most difficult games. Everybody thinks it’s the easiest game, but it is the hardest game to play because so many factors are involved. There’s a lot of physical conditioning, technique and the emotional or mental aspect of the game is super important. It’s important for players to [utilize resources and reflect] because if you let your emotions get the better of you, then you basically lose the match,” Teacher said.
