Meet the Women’s Tennis Team at Franklin!

It’s finally springtime, and that means the Franklin women’s tennis is in the midst of  their 2024 season. The team’s leading coaches are Head Coach Rob Hill and Assistant Coach Bob Altman. This year is Hill’s first year coaching the women’s team, while last year, he was the assistant coach for the men’s tennis team. The women’s tennis team has plenty of dedicated, motivated, and resilient players, as their sport is commonly interrupted for various reasons. From rainy Portland weather to courts in desperate need of repair, the team is still full of friendly competition and community. 

Kater Shaver, a junior at Franklin and a varsity women’s tennis player, has been playing tennis since her freshman year and loves many aspects of being on the team. One of  her favorite parts is hanging out with some of her teammates, who have become close friends. Since there are only a few courts and a lot of time is spent waiting for a turn to play, athletes have many opportunities to bond. 

The team’s community is a very friendly and easygoing environment, which is one of many of the players’ favorite qualities about the team. Emerson Porter, a junior who has also been on the team since her freshman year, says, “My favorite part of being on the tennis team is definitely the team dynamic, everyone is super nice and fun.” 

The team practices two hours each day and has matches two to three times a week. However, this schedule is very weather-dependent and Portland’s wet climate significantly hinders the team’s ability to practice and play. “Tennis is very weather dependent and when it rains, we can’t play, so we are always very last minute with match cancellations, and having to reschedule gets annoying,” Shaver says. Many of the team’s matches must be canceled due to slippery tennis courts, which would put the athletes at a high risk of injury. 

On home game days, when the weather permits, the varsity team plays at the Mt. Tabor courts, and the junior varsity team (JV) plays at the Clinton Park courts. These courts aren’t very big and some are in rough condition. Although the team spends a long time waiting for their turn to play, they’re still able to have fun. “Matches and sometimes practice can take a long time, but while you’re there, it’s really chill and fun,” says Shaver. 

Many athletes I spoke with hope to find new alternatives for when the rain prevents them from playing outside. This year, they volunteered at the Shamrock Run as course marshalls to raise money to rent indoor courts when it’s raining. Prior to this, the team would have indoor practices in the Franklin gym building, needing to share practice space with other teams, making it hard to run a full practice on such short notice.

Although the tennis team tends to be more relaxed, it’s still very competitive. One of the team’s most competitive aspects is the competition for a top varsity spot, whether in doubles or singles. Whether you want to challenge a teammate for their varsity spot or a coach requests a challenge, athletes play against each other to secure a first, second, third, or fourth varsity spot at the next match.“[Someone can always] take your spot, so it can definitely be pretty competitive,” shares Porter. Even though the challenges are competitive, the team still manages to maintain a positive environment. “Everyone continues to be supportive of each other,” says Emilia Palleroni, a senior on the team.

After working the Shamrock Run, hiring a new coach, and combating the weather, the women’s tennis team is looking forward to an exciting and fun season. To learn more about the team, attend a match! You can view the match schedule by using the calendar on Trivory or by checking out the Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) website.