While some students know of the sports teams that represent Salt Lake Community College, many students are not aware that the school has a competitive tennis team.
SLCC tennis players and coaches have high hopes for the upcoming fall season and are holding open tryouts to attain athletes that will help them meet those high expectations.
Clint Broadhead, is the head coach of both men’s and women’s tennis teams at SLCC, and is excited about the upcoming season.
“We have some great returning talent this year,” says Broadhead, “and that talent reaches far beyond the Salt Lake City limits.”
Broadhead mentions this because both the men’s and women’s team have players from many different countries, including China, Argentina and Italy.
Though SLCC plays in a junior division, the Bruins have already built a reputation as the team to beat.
This reputation has been well earned by dominating performances, clutch play and outstanding ball placement. This reputation is upheld while playing schools like BYU, Utah, Utah State, Weber State and Westminster.
“We play four to five tournaments a year, all held on different campuses,” says Broadhead.
“Last year we took home two first place tournament victories in both men and women’s singles.”
Since SLCC has not picked up tennis as a school-sanctioned sport, some students might think that the tennis team doesn’t take things too seriously.
Former SLCC tennis player JP Dykstra begs to differ.
“Throughout my life I have played competitive tennis,” Dykstra says. “I have been on traveling teams, junior and high school teams and to at least one pro camp every summer since I was eight years old, but I have never had as much fun while playing at SLCC.”
Any Bruins interested in joining the tennis team will need to complete a tryout.
Broadhead invites students to tryout; he says he is always looking for talent and this year is focused on building up the women’s roster.
“If there are any women looking to play, even if you are a casual tennis player, come tryout,” he says.
He and his players will be holding open court throughout the summer in order to observe and develop talent for the upcoming season.
Tryouts don’t have an official date; stay tuned for campus posters and an SLCC tennis Facebook page, both in the works. Tryouts are generally held the second or third week of the fall semester.
