By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
LYFORD — The Lyford tennis program doesn’t have the same advantages as others, but the Bulldogs make up for that with a strong bond that has helped them find success.
Lyford doesn’t have a junior high tennis program, so most of the team members don’t have any experience with the sport until their freshman year. The Bulldogs don’t play a team tennis season in the fall either, meaning they don’t hit the court until late October — and since many tennis players also participate in other sports, their start date can be delayed even more.
But that hasn’t stopped the Bulldogs from winning tournaments and District 32-3A titles. And despite the minimal experience for many of its players, the Lyford tennis program has sent athletes to the state tournament three of the past five years and boasted an eight-year streak of regional qualifiers.
“The success of the program has to do all with the type of kids we have. Every single season I’ve had kids that wanted to be on the court, that wanted to put in the time,” coach David Lopez said. “We don’t have a junior high program, so they have to learn real quick as freshmen, and then as sophomores they’re expected to step up and they always come through. Their hard work has paid off and they’ve built their own tradition, and I’m very proud of that.”
While Lopez gives all the credit to his athletes, the Bulldogs say the success and the family feel of the program is all because of Lopez. He took the helm after being hired as a teacher in 2008 and has improved participation every year. Lyford has 37 athletes on the tennis team.
Lopez attended Lyford’s rival, Raymondville, and played tennis for the Bearkats under coach James E. Mayer Jr. His career spanned from sixth grade through senior year, and Lopez and Mayer developed a strong relationship that remains intact to this day.
Lopez describes Mayer as a second father and strives to have a similar impact on his own players. The Bulldogs will tell you that he’s had success in that, too.
“He’s very funny and he’s like another dad, he supports us with everything and he’s always there to pick us up no matter how down we’re feeling,” Lyford senior Alaina Robles said.
Rudy Rodriguez echoed that sentiment, saying: “It really makes my day every day to go to tennis practice. It all starts with Lopez, he’s a great person and he’s so easy to get along with, and that really builds up everyone’s connections. He’s like my second father, really. Any time I need advice he’ll be there for me.”
Rodriguez is a four-year letterman and leader of the team. He picked up tennis as a freshman after Lopez saw him around the courts and told him to give it a try. Rodriguez’s career began in a doubles pairing with one of his best friends, Irish Labasan. The duo was an instant success and advanced to the Region IV semifinals in boys doubles last season.
This year, Rodriguez was asked to take on a new role and had been playing with rising sophomore Diego Salazar. Labasan’s new partner was fellow senior Sara Gudino, and they played as the No. 1 mixed doubles duo. Rodriguez’s pairing was strong and allowed him to help foster Salazar’s potential, something he enjoys doing for all of his teammates.
“Me and Diego have had a lot of success. He doesn’t have a lot of experience but he’s still an amazing player,” Rodriguez said. “He’s still really young so I’ve been teaching him a lot because there’s a lot of things to think about when you play boys doubles.”
Robles has played girls and mixed doubles in her three-year varsity career and teamed up with senior Natalie Guzman to play as Lyford’s No.1 girls pair. Robles and Guzman are good friends and complement each other on the court.
“We work really well together. Even if we’re feeling down about the game we’re able to fight back, and the majority of the time we would win the matches because of that. We help each other and hold each other up, and she’s really fun to play with and I enjoyed being her partner,” Robles said.
The seven Lyford seniors didn’t see things end like they hoped, but they left a significant impact on the program. Rodriguez said it’s hard being away from his coach and teammates and disappointing he and Salazar can’t make a run at the state tournament, which he felt they had a chance at reaching. Robles also called the situation difficult, but said she’s proud of her classmates and all the work they put in.
Even with that strong group leaving, Lopez feels confident about the Bulldogs’ future thanks to some key underclassmen. Salazar and fellow sophomore Austin Martinez are two boys Lopez said have grown quickly in the program and will be leaders next season. He called Ayleen Castillo an all-around athlete and said she’ll be playing as the No. 1 girl.
More than anything, Lopez values the off-court accomplishments of all his players, just like Mayer does with him. Nurturing the student-athletes and helping them fulfill their potential is his main mission, and that’s yet another thing excelling in the Bulldogs program.
“I’ve had valedictorians, salutatorians and various top 10 percent students. I’ve had some veterans on my team from the armed forces,” Lopez said. “It’s the success off the court that gives me that pride, and I feel like we must’ve done something right here.”