The Warren County Lady Pioneers tennis team is building off a successful last season.
After capturing a district championship a year ago, head coach Hannah Belew has her team off to another strong start, opening the season with five straight wins despite a new-look lineup. Belew said the foundation of the program’s success starts long before match day.
“When you get athletes out there who are hungry, they want to be successful and not just have fun, but they want to compete,” Belew said. “They had all been playing together for so long, and I think that is a big factor, just rallying with each other and wanting the best for each other and just being competitive all around so we can be successful as a team.”
That competitive edge helped fuel an undefeated regular season and district title last year. Now, the challenge has shifted to maintaining that standard after graduating a key group of players.
Instead of rebuilding, the Lady Pioneers are reloading. Belew said a younger group has stepped into bigger roles early, bringing a similar energy and commitment that defined last year’s championship team.
“I’m learning [and] they’re learning,” Belew said. “We’ve got a good group of girls. We had one last year, we’ve got a good one this year, and so I’m just blessed to be able to have this opportunity.”
While talent has remained steady, Belew emphasizes that relationships and mindset are what truly separate her team.
“Tennis is such a mind game,” Belew said. “Playing out there by yourself or just with one other partner, it’s so much of a mental game and I feel like that can really carry over into life, and when life happens and things don’t go your way or mistakes come our way that we can still get through those and we can still fight to overcome those things and I feel tennis can really help that and help with the mindset growth of just being able to move forward.”
That mental toughness has translated directly onto the court, where the Lady Pioneers continue to show depth and composure in both singles and doubles play. Belew helped guide the team to a district championship in her first season. Now in her second season, Belew said she is focused on building consistency and growth with a new core.