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Gustafson, Smith see both positives, negatives with moving girls’ tennis to fall

August 13, 2024 by Dan Holm

Ankeny Centennial girls’ tennis coach Alli Gustafson, shown here during a meet last season, is now preparing for the move of her sport to the fall in the 2025-26 school year. (Photo by Dan Holm)

Girls’ tennis coaches Alli Gustafson of Ankeny Centennial and Steve Smith of Ankeny were both prepared for the possibility that their sport would be moving to the fall eventually.

It officially happened on Monday with a dual press release from the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union and the Iowa High School Athletic Association, beginning with the 2025-26 school year.

“I had known that there was talk of girls’ tennis being moved to the fall of 2025,” said Gustafson. “We had received surveys and such to gauge whether or not coaches were in favor of it, so I had a feeling this was coming.”

The reaction from the tennis community online appeared to be mixed. Smith also has mixed feelings about the move.

“I knew they were voting on it, and I think it’s a good move weather-wise,” he said. “The biggest concern will be how tennis players in volleyball or cross country will react.”

Ankeny girls’ tennis coach Steve Smith, shown here during a meet in 2023, previously coached the Ankeny boys’ squad. It will now be easier for tennis coaches to guide both the boys’ and girls’ programs. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

Gustafson is also concerned about the conflict with other fall sports.

“Our team has, in the past, had several volleyball players that play tennis in the spring, so it will be tough with the overlap of these two sports now in the fall,” she said. “It will be interesting the first season of fall play, too, with playing this spring and then again right in the fall. I’m anxious to see what this change brings for girls’ tennis as a whole.”

According to Gustafson, one of the positive changes about the move is that her team will now have more open courts available for practice.

“It will be very nice to have all eight courts at the tennis complex since our season will no longer be overlapping with the boys’ (season),” she said. “I also think the weather could potentially be better than we have had it in the spring. However, postseason play could now be in the worst weather of the season, as playing in the spring it was the opposite. Our season sometimes was cold or rainy, but by the postseason, the weather had turned.”

Smith previously coached the Ankeny boys’ team for one season before taking over the girls’ program. Under the new schedule, it will be a lot easier for coaches to guide both programs.

“That should help the smaller schools,” Smith said.

Filed Under: Girls' Tennis, Hawks, Jaguars Tagged With: Alli Gustafson, Featured, Steve Smith

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