EXETER TWP. — Bill Roberts enjoys teaching tennis.
He will get plenty of opportunity to do that this spring.
Roberts is introducing most of his team to the sport while re-introducing Wyoming Area to the Wyoming Valley Conference after the school was unable to field a team last year because of a lack of interest.
As the lone Wyoming Area boys tennis player, Austin Alder prepared throughout the spring of 2015 for his chance to play in the District 2 singles tournament.
“We had the season sign-up in February,” Roberts said. “I put the word out to some people who had come last year and seen Austin and I hitting around and were asking some questions.
“They became interested in tennis and they had some friends. We’re going to have about 10 players.”
Seven players are needed to have a full lineup of three singles players and two doubles teams.
Roberts expects to have that covered without any problem. The challenge for the Warriors is that eight of those 10 began swinging a tennis racket for the first time this spring.
“There are no bad habits to break,” said Roberts, who used to give private lessons and therefore has experience in teaching the sport to brand-new players.
With the school still lacking playable tennis courts, the team has been practicing on the Harding Courts in Exeter Township. With only two courts to use, there are not enough to host any matches. Wyoming Area will play every match this season on the road.
Alder, a junior, has stuck with the sport and will be the number-one singles player.
Joseph Skrip, another junior who has some limited experience, appears set at number two.
Roberts said the development of young players could cause lineup changes as the season progresses, but he believes he is just about set with the lineup that will open the season Wednesday.
Sophomore Zeb Chisdock will fill the other singles spot.
Junior Alex Chronowski is paired with freshman Justin Alder at number-one doubles.
The number-two doubles spot still needs to be determined for the all-underclassmen team.
Aaron Carter is Roberts’ assistant coach.
