Coaches Joanne and David Bowman will be conducting voluntary tennis practices this fall for the Wildcat and Lady Wildcat tennis teams. New and returning players meeting Oak Ridge High School’s eligibility requirements will practice 2:30-3:30 p.m. every Wednesday after school on the city’s public courts on Oak Ridge Turnpike.

“Our goal is continuous improvement for players no matter their skill level,” David said in an email. “If players stick with us three to four years and are willing to study ‘how’ to hit a tennis ball, in their junior or senior years they often find themselves in the starting lineup with a chance to earn a varsity letter.

“We teach racquet skills in the offseason so that players can focus on winning singles and doubles tactics at our spring practices. The 2025 TSSAA season will begin Feb. 10. If players want to be accurate and consistent during District 4 competition, they must think long term and pursue hours of quality practice time in the offseason.”

The ORHS Athletic Department requires two items from students who want to join the tennis teams: a doctor’s physical dated after April 15, 2024, plus completion of an online compliance form (Online Compliance Forms).

Contact them at jbowman@ortn.edu (Joanne) or dbowman@ortn.edu (David).

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Open practices for Oak Ridge High tennis held every Wednesday