A young Eastern men’s tennis team will look to improve upon what head coach Samuel Kercheval called a “pretty good fall [season]” and have a great spring season.

Over half of the team is made up of freshmen, four of which are international, with four upperclassmen, three juniors and a redshirt senior, leading the team.

Kercheval said the keys to do well with a young team are to take each day one by one and learn from every experience they have.  He also said everyone will have to step up and help each other out, regardless of age, experience or spot in the lineup.

Kercheval said the freshman have adjusted well and have gotten on board with what the team expectations are.  He said the freshmen have done what was expected of them, as well as exceeding his expectations in a couple cases.

Because it is a young team, the upperclassmen have stepped up and helped the younger guys.

“Upperclassmen always have a role in helping the new players adjust,” Kercheval said.  “They have experienced what it is like to be on the team, go through the season, balance school and tennis and social activities.”

Freshman Ferdinand Ammer, from Germany, said his first impressions and feelings he got when he came here have not changed: he first got the feeling that it would be great to be a part of the team, and he thought his teammates were nice guys and it could be a great time at Eastern.

Ammer said he believes it is important for the team to work hard in every practice, as well as to work as a team and never let a teammate down.

This team concept Ammer mentioned is what Kercheval wants his team to strive at in the spring.

Kercheval wants to see his players come together and go through the ups and downs of the dual season.  Aside from on the court, he wants his players to work together and excel off the court.

“Now we win and lose as a team.  There are no individual achievements, only what we can do as a team,” Kercheval said.  “Everyone has to continue to buy in to the team first concept.”

To improve upon the fall season, Eastern’s tennis team must continue to build upon the expectations Kercheval set in the fall.  These expectations were to get nine players from five different countries to come together and understand what the team was trying to do.

Based on what Kercheval has seen from his team so far, they are doing a good job of coming together and supporting each other.  He looks forward to the spring season and how the team will grow together.

The team’s first match is Friday at Saint Louis University.

Dillan Schorfheide can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected]