Opinion: Morgan Academy builds impressive tennis dynasty under Baxter Stinson
Published 4:53 pm Tuesday, April 23, 2024
- The John. T. Morgan Academy girls鈥� and boys鈥� golf teams finished in first place and second place respectively at the AISA state tournament hosted by Lagoon Park in Montgomery April 9. Team members include, from left, (front) Emma Jones, Kylie Calame, Anna Brech, Hope Holladay, Martha Ann Beers and Mary Emily Frazer; (back) head coach Baxter Stinson, Tayme Hammad, Cam Patterson, Grant Arrington, Jack Johnson and Jude Assad. | Photo courtesy of AISA
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The Morgan Academy tennis team has become an AISA state powerhouse under coach Baxter Stinson. The girls鈥� championship is the 16th state title and the 13th under Stinson, a number we find both incredible and impressive. The boys team finished second.聽
The standard of championship expectations never gets old for Stinson, who expected a state title from the Lady Senators.
鈥淭he girls were impressive all year long. We finished the regular season undefeated as a team and only dropped two individual matches,鈥� Stinson said. 鈥淲e only had to replace one girl this year, and we had someone step right in and take her place. They did a great job again at state, and we took home another championship.鈥�
The boys team finishing second might have even been a more impressive feat. They had to replace four players, which is nearly half of the lineup, but they came within one match of a championship title on their own. Their expectations weren鈥檛 very high this year, and they exceeded expectations.
We applaud each group of graduating students for passing their knowledge to future players, something Stinson taught them. That鈥檚 likely the reason why the boys didn鈥檛 take a step backward even though they had so many new faces.
鈥淭he kids learn from each other,鈥� Stinson said. 鈥淭he older players this year teach the younger players or their siblings what they鈥檝e learned, and they pass it along to the next group. That鈥檚 just where our program is right now. They want to be a part of something special, and they don鈥檛 want their team to be the one that doesn鈥檛 make it back to state.鈥�
At this time next year, we expect them to be in the hunt for another state title.
