The Bakersfield College men’s tennis team seems to be at the top of its game this season.
The team is in second place within the state with an overall record of 9-1, according to BC tennis coach Rob Slaybaugh.
“We have some talented kids,” Slaybaugh said. “A lot of them are what I call ‘club kids’ because they have more experience.”
Slaybaugh said it has been a tough year for students to get a position on the team.
“This year is really hard because you got to have talent to make the top nine this year,” he said. “This is a solid team. This is probably one of the few teams that are top 10 in the state that is all local.”
The team will be facing several more matches for conference with other community college tennis teams.
“It would be very hard to win Conference with Ventura because they’re a very solid team,” he said. “They haven’t lost a match. So we would have to play very well to beat Ventura. It will be a very tough match especially in the second half (of the season) because we have three very good teams in our league along with us.”
Jeff Warnick is the No. 3 player on the men’s tennis team. He said that the team has improved this year.
“I think we’re really good this year,” he said. “We have a lot of depth on this team and we’re a lot stronger this year.”
Jimmy Bates, who is the No. 1 player on the team, said that the team has done well due to the number of new players on the team.
“I think we’re really deep,” Bates said. “We’ve got a lot of new freshmen from high schools playing. We have a lot of guys that can pretty much play anywhere.”
Bates also said it’s not an easy task to obtain higher ranks on the team.
“If we get at the top six, you can play,” he said. “But you have to beat everyone that the coach has you challenge in order to be at the top.”
Bates hopes the team’s success leads to a conference win.
“I would like to see us win conference,” he said. “All the matches we’re playing right now are a part of conference. So if you win every match you’re a conference champion.”
Yani Taurils, an exchange student, said he believes that the team is doing well because of players, but also because of Slaybaugh’s direction.
“The coach is a real good coach,” Taurils said. “He makes us work. It’s attitude and how he makes us practice.”
Slaybaugh also said he would like to see the players on the team prepare for matches.
“Every coach wants to see his team win,” he said. “I hope the kids are putting out a solid effort.”
The men’s tennis team will be having matches against Glendale, Citrus and Santa Barbara next week at BC. Matches are free and open for all students to attend.