The Goshen College tennis teams are transitioning from a fall season to a spring season, aligning with the rest of the country. 

The move brings new opportunities, challenges, and a shift in team dynamics for both the men’s and women’s programs.

The most immediate benefit of moving to a spring season is the extended preseason, which gives players more time to bond and prepare. 

Matija Margetic, a junior on the men’s team, said the longer preseason will allow for better interaction within the team. “We get to team build more in the fall and figure out the best doubles combinations without having to guess within three weeks before the season starts,” he said.

Similarly, Blanka Bodo, a sophomore on the women’s team, noted that the additional time in the fall provides players a chance to understand their peers as people and as athletes. “With our preseason in fall, we have more time to get to know each other, and get used to each other not only as a person but as a player too,” Bodo said.

Jon Bemisderfer, the director of tennis at GC, explained that the extended fall preseason offers more time for new players to acclimate to the team and coaching system. 

“Athletes don’t have to arrive early to campus, saving money on housing and meals,” Bemisderfer said. “Preseason is the entire fall now, which allows new players to acclimate better to the team, find chemistry in doubles pairings, and establish a lineup.”

Despite the advantages of a longer preseason, players and coaches acknowledge the challenges that come with a shift to spring. 

Margetic expressed concerns over how unpredictable spring weather might impact the season. “The fall weather was actually better. 

Seeing how cold and windy this ‘spring’ is has me worried about how the weather will impact the new season,” he said. 

However, he added that both teams will face similar weather challenges, and they can’t complain too much as every opponent must contend with the same conditions.

Bodo also acknowledged the difficulties of moving from indoor to outdoor play, particularly with the colder weather. “Whoever plays tennis knows that it’s not the same thing,” she said. “In the fall, we played outdoors all the time because of the good weather. However, with our season being in spring, we will have to start practicing indoors and adjust to outdoor conditions for the first matches.”

Bemisderfer agreed that weather conditions are one of the biggest challenges. “Unpredictable northern Indiana weather is a main one,” he said. “There will likely be other challenges, but it’s too soon to tell.”

While the switch to spring comes with some logistical adjustments, it also presents an opportunity for GC to be more competitive within the Crossroads League and NAIA at large. According to Bemisderfer, the timing of the season offers an advantage to the teams for postseason play. “I believe the Crossroads League will now send a more prepared team to the NAIA Nationals,” he said.

For Margetic, the shift will give his team more time to adjust to outdoor conditions before facing off against tough competition. “It will be interesting to see how everyone copes with the change,” he said. “The transition from indoors to outdoors always requires a bit of adjustment time.”

Bodo also sees benefits for her team in the spring. “I feel like we will be way more prepared for the spring season,” she said. “Our team will have more time to go to the gym, do some injury prevention, and be mentally ready.”

The change in season timing may also impact recruiting strategies. Bemisderfer noted that he may look to add more spring recruits if there is attrition from the fall, such as injuries or transfers. “Possibly, we will add more spring recruits depending on how things unfold,” he said. “This shift may open up different avenues for recruiting.”

Bodo expressed excitement about the new season. “I love traveling with the team, even if our destination is one hour or eight hours away,” she said. “I honestly believe our team has one of the best, if not the best, chemistries in the whole conference.”

As the GC tennis teams embark on their first full spring season, they look forward to new challenges and opportunities. 

With a stronger preseason, more time for preparation and the chance to build team chemistry, the men’s and women’s teams are ready to face the season ahead.