The Oakville’s boys tennis team is looking to have a big spring.

After finishing 7-12 in 2023, the team has some key returning athletes this season.

Joshua Tiemann, Kolton Kreisz, Justin Bradley and Samuel Webb all return for the varsity squad. Tiemann, a senior, placed sixth in state last year in doubles. 

“Josh will be a huge asset to our team,” said coach Connor Cassity. “Josh is going to Coe College next year to play Division III tennis and I am super excited for his senior season.”

Along with Tiemann, Cassity has high hopes for Kreisz this season.

“Kolton Kreisz was our No. 3 last year and is our No. 2 this year,” he said. “He has improved a lot and I am excited to see him take on the role of being No. 2 on the team.  He has been a great leader for the team and helping out our newer players.”

Isaiah Wadyko and Aditya Sharma are returning junior varsity players who will both play some varsity matches this year.  Freshman Ian Sokolich will see varsity time as well. 

“He is a hockey player and is super athletic,” Cassity said. “His consistency will be a big strength for the team.” 

With a group of new incoming players, growing the program is at the top of the list for Cassity.

“We have a good chunk of new players this year, so our goals are to really develop our competition skills to help our players grow in the next couple of years,” he said. “Although a lot of our players are new to tennis, they are super athletic and have a bright future in the sport ahead of them.”

So far, even though it’s early, the team is showing a positive attitude and working together, helping each other.

“The guys have great attitudes this year,” Cassity said. “It has been great to see the returning players help out the players who are new to tennis and give them their tips and tricks. The varsity players look strong in their net play, which is always a huge goal.”

That positive attitude is a plus, given playing varsity this season will be a new experience for some of the younger players.

“Since we are a fairly young team this year, our new players are going to have to overcome playing people who have been playing for a while and are more veteran players,” Cassity said. “This may be tough at first, but I am confident our newer players will adapt quickly and grow a lot this season. We have a big year of learning ahead of us”