By Christopher Tremblay

Staff Sports Writer

Kate Friesema is entering her fourth season on the Hopedale varsity girls’ tennis team and after securing a position at second singles last year, the sophomore is looking to hold onto the spot as the Blue Raiders get ready for another season of tennis. 

After playing tennis with her twin sister Emma in local summer programs, she was enticed to join the high school team as a seventh grader with her friend Gabby Rinehart. The duo would both make the team and actually play second doubles together that first campaign. 

“That year we had a decent record,” Friesema said. “Although I don’t know if Gabby was thrilled with my play. I can be a ball hog at times, and it could get the best of me on the court.”

After picking up a racquet for the first time, Friesema found that she enjoyed the competitiveness of the game and loved the team aspect of the sport. Although she was all in during her first season with Hopedale, she didn’t know what to expect in playing a varsity sport for the Jr/Sr High School.

“Coach Riffo is very patient and understanding,” she said, “The very first week I was on the court with all the first-year players, but by the next week along with Gabby, I found myself on the next court with the doubles players.”

After playing doubles her first two seasons with Hopedale, Friesema realized that seniors would be vacating the team due to graduation and some singles spots would be open the following season. That summer she decided that she wanted one of those openings and worked really hard, playing a lot of tennis to get ready for the potential challenge. 

“I played a lot of tennis that summer on the courts next to my house with my sister and a few teammates,” Friesema said. “Although I like playing doubles, I would much prefer singles. When I won the second singles challenge during tryouts, I was excited and knew that I could do this.”

Having earned the second singles spot on the team, Friesema may have been thrilled to get the position, but she was also nervous the first time that she took the court in her new role. The nerves may have been running through her body, but the then freshman took the match to a tiebreaker, which she eventually won.

“Playing singles was something new and very different from doubles,” she said. “It’s only me on that side of the court and I control everything, good or bad.”

Playing singles for her first time, Friesema found that she ended up with a record over .500 and was named to the Dual Valley Conference All-Star team, something that definitely caught her off guard.

“Honestly, it was out of the blue,” she recalls. “I felt that I had been playing well, but when Coach told me that I had been named to the All-Star team I was totally surprised that it had happened, but it boosted my confidence.”

Having been recognized as a talented player, the now-sophomore decided to take lessons with a couple of her teammates this past summer to improve their game. Friesema felt that she needed to work on her serve and backhand form to elevate her game.

“I felt that the lessons helped, but I still need to continue to work on it,” Friesema said. “I’m quick so I can get to a lot of balls on the court, but everyone has something that they can work on and I’m no exception.”

As she gets ready for her second season as Hopedale’s number two singles player, Friesema is looking to have a full serve this year and hopefully can get back to DVC All-Star status again all the while holding onto her second singles spot.

Right in front of the sophomore in the number one singles slot is another sophomore in Pia Obrador and although she is a very talented tennis player Friesema says playing in the top spot is something that she’d like to play some day.

“It’s crossed my mind, but right now I’m staying at second singles,” she said. “I believe that I could be successful there, but to get there I’d have to beat out Pia and she’s an incredible player.”

In addition to playing tennis, which she classifies as her primary sport, Friesema also plays basketball for the Blue Raiders and next fall she plans on trying out for the cross-country team. She was looking for something to do during the down season that would keep her in shape and get ready for basketball season. Not only that, but Rinehart has been trying to get her to join the team with her.