Upperman High School transitioning its tennis program from a club sport to an official TSSAA sanctioned team.
Upperman High School Principal Justin Campbell said the move follows three years of growth and success for the program as a club. Campbell said the school aims to provide diverse activities that motivate students to remain engaged with their academics and stay in school.
“Well, our goal at Upperman High School is always provide as many opportunities as we can for kids and students so that they can have something to focus on and, you know, kind of get their interest and keep them motivated for academic purposes and stay in school,” Campbell said. “And a lot of times we use that through sports, and so this tennis team has been a big help for us as far as building interest.”
Campbell said the program has gained a large following as students see the excitement and success surrounding the team. Campbell said the sport specifically attracts students who may not be interested in more traditional or general sports.
“And right now, we have this program, up and coming,” Campbell said. “We’ve got success and we’re starting to see a lot of participation in it. And, you know, really catching kids that are interested in, you know, tennis, not really all the other sports.”
Campbell said the transition to official status provides the student-athletes with a new sense of identity and pride. Campbell said the school will announce the official TSSAA status to the student body to encourage more people to join or get involved.
“So for the students, what really changes for them is they get that, that identity that, ‘Okay, so we are a recognized TSSAA sport,’” Campbell said. “And also that recognition, you know, you get a little pride whenever they do win and whenever they are participating.”
Campbell said the program currently has the necessary resources to operate, including a practice location and a coaching staff led by Alex Fields. Campbell said the athletic department and student fundraising efforts have secured the financial support and sponsorships needed to remain competitive.
“I’ve got an amazing athletic director in Coach [Jimmy] Maynard,” Campbell said. “And our funds, you know, the kids are doing a great job fundraising. We’ve got a great sponsorship team. We’ve got great owners and adopters that really take tennis under their wing and try to make sure that the kids have and the students have what they need to participate and be competitive.”
Campbell said he views his role as ensuring student voices are heard when they advocate for new programs or interests. Campbell said the school was willing to grow the program because the students showed they were invested and motivated.
“You know, at the end of the day, I’m a teacher at heart, was a teacher, am a teacher,” Campbell said. “And so we provide for the students and when students come to us and they want things and they want to grow programs or they want, they have interests that we can, we can help grow, we’re more than willing to do that.”
Campbell said the ultimate goal for any school program is to use sports or clubs as a lens to prepare students for their future careers and lives as citizens. Campbell said the tennis team reached the postseason last year and looks to continue that success under the new official designation.
“I want to keep kids motivated through sports, through clubs, through the arts, whatever it may be to keep them motivated to stay in school, maybe find a passion to turn it into a career someday,” Campbell said. “At the end of the day, we want to look at the student’s future and use the lens of whatever club or sport that they’re in to help prepare them for that future.”