From the court to the classroom, Casey McDonnell manages it all. McDonnell has been a teacher of Physics and Physical Science for eight years and just recently became the new head coach for the boys’ varsity Tennis team. While this was his first year with the boys team, he has had a lot of experience to help him be a great leader. This experience includes playing tennis since he was five years old and loving the sport, coaching junior varsity girls tennis, and coaching freshmen girls’ basketball a few years prior. McDonnell had a very interesting philosophy towards the sport. He felt it was more about learning and growing rather than winning.

    “We had more losses than wins as a team, but I don’t have a problem with that at all, because I think that when you lose, you learn more than when you win,” McDonnell said. “Wins and losses is not even something that I’m necessarily all that concerned about.”  McDonnell’s outlook on the sport is a bit different than most, but it proved to be worthwhile. The players enjoyed learning and improving themselves under McDonnell’s care.

    “McDonnell was a good coach,” Tyler McCready, a senior, said. “He emphasized self improvement not just winning. I think that is important in high school sports.” Switching coaches can be a struggle for any sport. McDonnell, however, had a pretty seamless transition. The team took to him quickly and the season was enjoyable for all. McDonnell’s passion for the sport allowed the season to run smoothly. 

“He emphasized self improvement not just winning. I think that is important in high school sports,” McCready said.

    “In whatever way I can, I want to encourage people to come and play,” McDonnell said. McDonnell believes anyone can play tennis. From someone who has never picked up a racket to someone who has played all their life. He is hoping to get more people involved in tennis. McDonnell will continue to coach  junior varsity girls’ tennis this coming spring and hopes to take his good experience from the boys’ season with him. The boys’ team ended the season fourth in the region and Cole Goodman was the runner up in one singles at Regionals. This qualified him for states. He lost in the first round but it was a great end to the season for McDonnell, Goodman, and the team itself.