The Durango High School boys tennis team is in unfamiliar territory this season.
In past years, the Demons had one constant on the court in the form of Fred Edwards. But Edwards graduated from Bayfield High in the spring, and now the senior-laden Demons lack a go-to player to help propel them in a loaded Southwestern League.
“Last year we had a really good player in Fred Edwards out of Bayfield and he was like, the man,” Durango coach Alan Batiste said. “Everybody looked up to him and he was the king of our courts.”
While having a dominant player like Edwards on the roster would be a boost, the Demons might be better served with the group they have now.
The Demons list 10 seniors on the team and, instead of leaning on one player, they have several at a similar skill level to push and challenge each other.
There are plenty of positives to come from having so many seniors on the team. Most have been in the program for a few years and understand what they need to do to better the team. Having been around for awhile, they understand the importance of a good work ethic and leadership skills they’ve picked up from former Demons.
There are downsides to being senior heavy.
Almost every week a player has to miss a tournament or match because they’re taking various tests for school. The revolving door of who is available for a match can break up the cohesion of the team. But there are positives for players as individuals.
“We’re down a player quite constantly and I don’t think it’s helping us in the long run,” senior Keiran Brook said, “but it’s also giving players like me a chance to play singles for once. That has always been my dream and it wasn’t going to happen this season unless people were taking tests and missing.”
Batiste, who has been Durango’s boys basketball coach the past seven seasons, is in his second year coaching the boys tennis team. The program has struggled to find a true tennis coach since the retirement of Dave Weisfeldt, and Batiste stepped up to watch over the team.
It took some time to get comfortable after moving from one court to another, but with one year of experience Batiste is gaining a better grasp on the nuances of tennis.
While he’s still inexperienced as a tennis coach compared to his counterparts around the state, the general mood around the tennis team is that Batiste is the coach the Demons need right now.
Brook and fellow senior Tommy Rodgers said Batiste has been a great asset with his ability to keep the Demons calm and focused in pressure situations while his basketball knowledge spills onto the tennis court.
“Coach Batiste has been able to help us a lot with our footwork and court vision coming from basketball,” Rodgers said. “And he’s a very funny guy, and that helps keep the mood light.”
The team is on the right track this season. They’ve shown some inconsistency in matches but also have found success, most recently with a 5-2 win against league opponent Grand Junction Central on Saturday.
Winning against the Warriors was a good start for the Demons, who are working to send some players to the state tournament. But picking up a few wins this season isn’t the highest priority for the team. That honor is reserved for changing the way the rest of the state views the boys program.
“We get to go into these tournaments and get a lot of experience, but we also go in and no one expects anything from us,” Brook said. “After losing Fred, that was hard. He was our No. 1 singles and the light on the team we could always count on to win and give Durango a name. But now it’s on us.”
The Demons will be in action this weekend at the Western Slope Open in Grand Junction.
kschneider@durangoherald.com
