Scott Fish has the distinction of being Hockinson High School's first-ever Boys Tennis Coach. As he concludes his third season with the program, Fish took a moment to reflect on the season and its milestones:
Over the past three seasons, we've worked hard to build something special with the Hockinson Hawks Boys Tennis program. Our focus has been on more than just winning matches. We've wanted to create a strong team culture, introduce more students to tennis, develop competitive players, and establish a program that can continue to grow and succeed for many years.
This year, that hard work paid off as we finished 7–5, earning the first winning season in program history!
One of our biggest catalysts has been the growth of the team. We went from 14 players last season to as many as 24 this year, an increase of more than 70%. Much of that growth came organically, with friends bringing friends and players encouraging their classmates to join. Our sophomore class led the way with 10 players, many coming from connections with our soccer program. We've also seen great friendships develop across the team, which has helped create an environment where players enjoy being together. We've made a conscious effort to accommodate students involved in band, theater, and other activities, because we want tennis to be an opportunity for as many students as possible.
A major difference-maker this season was our decision to introduce summer practices. Throughout July, we met on Tuesdays and Thursdays for one-hour sessions, giving newer players an opportunity to learn the fundamentals, get comfortable on the court, and have fun before the season officially began. We also developed our first two weeks of regular-season practices training approach to focus on technical progressions, repetition, movement, and competitive situations. This structured approach gave our players a stronger foundation and helped us enter the season better prepared than ever before.
Another important step forward was introducing more JV and split-team matches. These gave developing players valuable competitive experience while allowing us to identify players who were ready for additional varsity opportunities. New players like Ashton Clark and Everett Frohs demonstrated how meaningful match experience can accelerate development. Both players are playing in the Bi-District Tournament post season. We have several new players exhibiting strong first years including Connor Foster, Benjamin Mullins, Jayden Penwell, and Sam Larios. Returning players such as Cameron Allmon, Kaleb Williams, Oliver Fallows, Phil Heder, Rhys Ruhl, and Simon Neve have been anchors for our team this year and during the past 2 seasons. Our doubles teams have really developed this year, led by Gavin Matheson and Collin Walters, playing at the Doubles 1 position all season, and being seeded #5 in the postseason tournament.
We were also fortunate to have four outstanding assistant coaches who each made important contributions. Matt Savage took the lead on doubles training and strategy, helping our teams develop stronger partnerships. Heather Watkins, Head Coach for the Girls Team, brought technical instruction and a thoughtful approach to skill progression, accelerating our team's understanding of the game. Keith Matheson quickly became a valuable drill leader and instructor. Jahlen Miller, a previous student athlete, brought energy, competitive intensity, and strong connections with our players that helped elevate our practices and grow the team. Having four coaches with different strengths allowed us to work with smaller groups, provide more individual attention, and create an individual experience for everyone.
As we look ahead to 2027, our goals are to build on our winning record, develop stronger singles players, establish more consistent doubles partnerships, and continue expanding opportunities for our JV athletes. We'll also focus on preseason preparation, injury prevention, and continuing the summer training program that made such a difference this year.
"Three seasons ago, we were building a tennis team. Today, we're building a tennis program. Our first winning season is a milestone worth celebrating, but what excites me most is the foundation we've established. We have committed coaches, enthusiastic players, a growing roster, and a culture that makes students want to be part of something bigger."
- Scott Fish