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Audio Transcript:

Zane: Hello! and welcome to the first episode of Pella High Speaks; I’m your host, Zane McSheehy. Today I have with me: Caleb and Jack Briggs, some of the Pella Dutch boys Tennis Team players, and we’re here to ask them a couple of questions. Welcome Caleb, Welcome Jack. So, let me start off with a question here… what is it that draws you guys to tennis as a sport?

Jack: So… I started playing the sport when I was little, me and Caleb; and my oldest brother played a lot… and…just kinda status quo for our family to play high school tennis and I really, last year, fell in love with the sport and loved the competitive spirit of the game. 

Caleb: Yeah… I really enjoy playing tennis, just being surrounded by the coaches and the teammates. I really enjoy every practice and going out to compete.

Zane: And one question that a lot of people, especially the Pelladium news staff was interested in… will you guys be playing doubles together?

Caleb: We will be playing doubles together.

Zane: That will be a very interesting thing to watch, and we’ve actually heard from one of the coaches that your guy’s dynamic would be an interesting one to watch BECAUSE you’re siblings. What’re your thoughts on that?

Jack: Yeah, so me and Caleb we.. live together… obviously.. so we are very good at communicating with each other and know how each other plays because we’ve been playing with each other our whole lives so…

Caleb: Yeah I would say… Jack and I are good at… we’ve worked on knowing when to help each other when the game isn’t going our way and I think we can be really well or …we can play really well together.

Zane: And… what would you say that each of you are looking forward to this coming tennis season?

Jack: Well, me and Caleb wanted to make it pretty far in individual state, and I think our team will have a good run at team state too so I think… those are pretty good goals for this season and I’m looking forward to achieving them.

Caleb: Yeah, I’m really looking forward to just developing as a player and helping the younger guys develop too…getting to know the other guys and helping them learn to compete at the varsity level.

Zane: And I’m sure with all the snow outside right now it’s difficult to practice but is there any sort of training you’re doing right now, or may start soon?

Jack: Yeah, so me and Caleb, for the past couple months have been going to Thrive Tennis Academy in Des Moines and they have a really good coaching staff there who has been helping me and Caleb develop as athletes AND tennis players.. Which has helped us improve quite a bit.

Caleb: Yeah, so along with going to Thrive… a few days a week we’re doing some other training at home. Just lifting… trying to get faster and stronger and just become a better athlete.

Zane: And sport-wise, is there anything that you expect to be different this season in comparison to last?

Jack: So last season we graduated a majority of our varsity line-up but… you know me and Caleb are looking to help some of the younger guys that are moving into the varsity spots to fill those senior’s roles

Zane: And, do you think that protocol has changed from the more strict COVID protocol from last season?

Caleb: As of now, I have not heard anything on protocol changes for spring sports, and I… hope it stays that way

Zane: And, would you say that the Pella team stands a good chance in tennis this year?

Jack: Yeah, so last season we got state-runner up at team state and we had two individual state runner-ups which is… a crazy… thing to do better but yeah… or a lucky nut.

Zane: And who would you say is a school that you guys may have to watch out for this year?

Caleb: Yeah, so… the last year we played Xavier in the state final, and we know that they’re returning quite a few of their varsity line-up… so they’ll be obviously the number 1 team to try to beat. More in our conference…I think Grinnell will have a good team, they got some guys returning… And around the area there will be some decent players that are returning from last year.

Zane: And this is more of a personal question to just kind of end us off here. Would you say that tennis is a sport for everybody? Or does it take some more dedication and interest than some may think at a first glance? 

Jack: So tennis is a sport for all levels. If you wanna be a great tennis player you can do all the work you want, you can work hard and achieve that. But if you just wanna go out to tennis to have fun, we have some coaches who are a lot of fun and will help you… have a lot of fun.

Caleb: Yeah, so I would say at first glance a lot of people think that tennis could be easier than it actually is, they don’t realize the coordination and athleticism that goes into being a great player. But, if you work hard enough you can achieve what you want and you can play your own game.

Zane: Alright, thank you very much. That was Caleb and Jack Briggs from the Pella Dutch Boys Tennis Team. I’m Zane McSheehy, thank you for listening to Pella High Speaks.