The Houston Christian Girls Tennis team made history this week.
Led by Head Coach Di Akina and team captain, sophomore Katia Childs, the Mustangs Girls Tennis program has won its first-ever SPC 3A Championship.
Prior to the season, Akina expressed her ambition of helping her athletes to succeed at a high level by embracing their roles and strengths on the team.
It would seem that she accomplished her mission, considering all Akina did was direct Houston Christian to the top in her first season as the HCHS Tennis coach.
“I feel so lucky to be a part of a team that is so coachable,” she said. “They trust me and I trust them. They understand that I coach them hard, but I love them just as much. Being a part of the school’s history is tremendous, and it’s just the beginning. The start to a different culture in our athletics program is on the rise.”
So what made this team so special?
“We had an amazing group of seniors who really brought a different spirit and energy to the team,” said Akina. “They were all first-time players but supported their underclassmen teammates one-hundred percent, and they didn’t miss a match, whether they were playing or not. That set the expectation.”
“Our confidence and the fact that our team believed in themselves and trusted their teammates to show up when needed really set us apart. Lastly, the group was having fun, and when you do that, things tend to take care of themselves.”
Now that Houston Christian has established the precedent on the tennis court, the future of the program should only get brighter.
“HC Tennis is going to continue to develop players, both on and off the court,” Akina said. “We’re going to help them become competitors and leaders, by persistently building upon this foundation that this year’s team has set.”
Expect Houston Christian Tennis to make a run for their second a year from now.