Preseason INFO

Sabercats,  

Welcome to all our new players.  We are glad you’re here.  We’re looking forward to a super season with an exciting schedule playing the best teams in the state.   

In this email, we’ll touch on the information needed for tryouts and the start of the season. Please stay with me till the end and read all the info.  

We will send out more information as time goes on.  We do this via emails – special info emails and weekly detailed email throughout the season.  Please make sure you’re on our email list.  We do have a website, https://sites.google.com/site/frhstennis/ , but all of communication is emailed first then posted on the website.  

Ok, here’s the very important items as we get started.  

1. We are having a "Meet the Coach" pizza lunch on Wednesday, January 10th in the Health Room.  Stop by to find out all about the upcoming season and new pre-season opportunities!

2. Pre-Season conditioning workouts in the weight room with Coach Jill.  Mondays and Thursdays afterschool - 4:15-5:30. These will begin on Thursday, January 11th.

3. We are having a Pre-season Player/Parent meeting on 1-23-24, 6:30-7:30pm in the Roundhouse.  During this meeting we’ll review our goals, philosophies, tryouts, volunteer opportunities, team format, expectations, uniforms, etc.  If you’re not able to make this meeting, we will publish all the information via email after the meeting.  

4. You must have an Orange-Card from the Athletic department before you can Tryout.  We cannot let you on the court without you handing us this card.  To obtain your Orange-Card, starting beginning of February you can …  

   1. Go to https://frh.psdschools.org/athletics  

   2. Click on the Participation Information green bar.  This will guide you through the process to fill out all forms.  

   3. You will be directed to the Online Registration green bar on the athletics page.  Follow that link to the PSD registration page and complete as instructed for High School Sports.  

   4. If you have questions, please contact the Fossil Athletic office.  They can help you.  

   5. After you have paid your fee, completed all forms, have a valid physical, etc, you can go to the athletic office to get your Orange Card.  

5. OUR SEASON 

   1. NEW THIS YEAR - Pre-Season Camp: Tuesday, Feb 20th-Friday, Feb 23rd 4:30-6pm at Fossil Creek Park (Registration required, more info coming)

   2. Season Starts: 2-26-24, 4:15pm at the FRHS courts/Fossil Creek Park.  Day 1 of Singles Tryouts  

   3. Season Ends: 5-14-24 at the Team State Championship  

   4. Practice will be every weekday from 4-6:45ish and some Saturdays (with advanced notification)  

   5. We will not practice, nor have matches over Spring Break 3/11/24-3/15/24.  

   6. Our first match of the season is Thursday, March 7th at 3pm vs Fairview at FRHS/Fossil Creek Park.

   7. This year our team will be 30-35 players and if necessary, we will make cuts based on the results of tryouts.  

6. TRYOUTS

   1. Tryouts start 2-26-24, 4:15pm at the FRHS courts/Fossil Creek Park Courts and will run for approximately 2 weeks.  

   2. At the end of tryouts, we will announce the end of tryouts and meet with every player individually if cuts are necessary.  

   3. Tryouts Purpose:  

      1. The purpose of tryouts is to determine who makes the team and the first pass player stacking for our combined team.    

      2. Which position or team each player will be playing (Varsity, JV, etc) will be mainly finalized during tryouts.  Some shifting could occur during the next days or weeks as we go through the challenge matches and the season.  

      3. IMPORTANT NOTE: Our season is extremely short and there are CHSAA rules as to how many matches are required at each line for qualification into post-season play.  Bring your best selves to tryouts!

7. Schedule  

   1. While we are still working on solidifying the schedule, you will be able to view the schedule on the Athletic Website when it's uploaded - we'll announce this.   

   2. To get the schedule:  

      1. Go to https://frh.psdschools.org/athletics  

      2. Click on Athletics Calendar  

      3. On the right side click “VIEW SCHEDULES”  

      4. Scroll down to “Tennis – Girls “ and click the box  

      5. Then click the “VIEW” button below.  

   3. We will update more details as we get closer.

8. More Season Information: 

   1. Uniforms are picked and designed each year by our seniors and are purchased by the individual players.  We will have more info on the uniforms during the Pre-Season Player / Parent meeting.  

   2. Practice will be every weekday and will be divided into two different sections during the times 4:15pm and 6:45ish.  We will announce who is to be at which section each week.  Varsity and rotating high V2 will practice 4:15-6pm each day. V2/JV will practice from 430-6 or 5-630pm each day. Overlap times will be used for warm-up/stretching and core/band exercises as well as goal setting meetings.

   3. Transportation:  This year we have been notified that Busses are very hard to get due to a lack of drivers.  We will need many helpers to help drive players to away matches.  Please consider helping out, especially if you have a big car.  

4.  Volunteer Opportunities:  It takes a village to run a tennis team and our tennis family has been great at helping out. Here are the items we are in need of help with - please reach out if you can help in any way!

• Match Snack coordinator: This is the one the players like the most and we usually have a snack coordinator that helps organize people to bring snacks for the matches and tournaments. Last year we used a Sign Up Genius, Allison Long has graciously volunteered to do this for both of the teams - Varsity and JV!!!  She will send out a link with match dates and sign ups in the next 2 weeks.  

• • Match Snack Bringer: Parents working with the Snack coordinator to bring some snacks to a specific match

  • Match Water cooler bringer (please reach out to me if you can do this and I will get you the container)

  • Pictures:  Please take lots of pictures of our matches and our practices (yes please come to practices with your cameras)

  • Year End Banquet Coordinator:  Coordinating the Banquet place and food for year-end celebration - Melissa Seager is doing this - Thank you!

  • Year End Picture Show: Coordinating or doing the year end slide show to play at the year-end banquet.

  • Senior Recognition day: Parents of seniors coordinate this on our last home match day

  • Drivers & Chaperones:  We often need parent drivers and chaperones for In-town matches or Out-of-town tournaments.

  • Practice Helpers: If you play tennis and can help at practices, we'd welcome you.

Ok, I think that’s enough for now.  Did you make it to the end?  Did we miss anything you need to know?

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Let’s get started! 

-Jill Hartman: Head Coach 970-412-2188

-Debbie Lukasiewicz: Head JV Coach: 720-341-2238