By Quetasia Faulcon

A coach stands at the side, shouting encouragements to his players. His encouragement boosts the players’ spirits and they win their match. This may seem like a typical tennis match, but this cannot happen when one coach coaches two separate teams, a boys tennis team and a girls tennis team.

Coach Paul Cash coaches the boys and girls tennis teams. Both teams’ seasons are now at the same time of the year. The change was made in the season schedule from being apart at two different times of the year to being together all in one season, based on an equal rights issue. The change in the season affects the different teams in different ways and it has even affected the coach himself.

“Time is reduced and it’s unfair for both teams, especially the girls team,” Cash said.

In previous years, Cash has been able to have about sixteen to twenty girls on the tennis team, and it has now been reduced to about ten to twelve girls. Likewise, with the boys team, Cash could have around sixteen boys, and now the roster is down to about twelve.

Cash is not fond of the season schedule change.

“I think it’s a terrible decision to put both of them at the same time, and have to share the same facility,” Cash said.

When this change was not in effect, the girls tennis team enjoyed great success.

“Girls have the best season, and it’s really hurt the girls from the way it used to be,” Cash said.

Previously, the girls team would practice all spring, practice over the summer, and then go into the season at top condition and at top form. Early in August, the girls would have two-a-day practices, where they would practice earlier in the day, take a break for around two to three hours, and then come back later on in the day to practice some more. With the seasonal change, the girls team does not get as much time to practice.

“[The season change is] terrible, just terrible…stupid,” Cash said.

Because of the change, practices are held together, although this can cause trouble.

“The personality differences causes mischief,” junior Chris Bae said. “There are more distractions being together.”

The girls get more practice against stronger hitters on the boys team, but the boys lose some practice hitting against the girls.

“It actually benefits the girls team in a way, because the guys hit a lot harder than the girls, giving the girls more practice against people who play and hit differently,” sophomore Melissa Tomlin said.

Boys are stronger hitters because they have more muscle mass due to testosterone.

“Boys tend to play with more power,” Bae said.

Since the girls and boys practice together, they practice the same things. Cash uses the same techniques and skills in teaching both teams. He treats all of the players equally.

“[The girls] don’t want to be treated like Barbie dolls, they want to be treated like athletes,” Cash said. “The girls can do what the guys can do.”

The scheduling of the matches can affect the way that each team plays. Cash cannot be there for both the boys and girls matches at the same time.

“If the boys play at home, the girls play away, so whatever school we’re playing, one game is home, the other is away,” Cash said. “Assistant coach Cindy Tomlin takes one team and I take the other. I cannot be with both teams, which I think is unfair also.”

The assistant coach, Cindy Tomlin, is an extreme asset to the teams and helps both of the teams tremendously. She has a wealth of knowledge about tennis and she is very focused and committed to helping every player to do their best for the team. Even with the assistant coach, Cash still feels that he should be there for all of the matches for both teams.

“If both schools both have really good teams, I can only be at one of them, to me that’s not fair,” Cash said. “It takes away from the program and the kids, it’s very frustrating not being able to be at two places at one time. I am extremely lucky for Coach Tomlin,” Cash said.