An Interview With NHS Tennis Coach, Brian Bass

How is this year’s team shaping up compared to last season? What stands out about this group in terms of chemistry, leadership, and overall potential?

This year’s Nolensville High Tennis team is coming off its best season in school history last spring.  Both teams are looking to replace a lot of production from the last year’s senior class but are still going to be in the mix toward the top of the district standings.  This team has developed a strong bond off the court.  With off-season workouts and senior-lead team hit-arounds, the team now trains more year round than ever before.  There is a wide mix of all four grades contributing, from freshman to seniors, but they have all come together to help pull in the same direction. 

Who are a few players fans should keep an eye on this season? Are there returning leaders or emerging young players who could make a big impact?

Fans should keep an eye on the seniors this year.  On the girls side, Eisley Alderman will be playing the number one singles spot.  She is a great athlete who plays full court tennis and loves to come to the net.  She will play doubles alongside her sister, Gray, a junior and number three singles player on the ladder.  On the boys side, the lineup is anchored by its seniors.  Matthew McCarter,  Max Tant, Tiger Madayam, and Andrew Truong are all seniors who make up the majority of this year’s lineups.  These seniors are all excellent athletes who cover the court well and will look to push Brentwood and Ravenwood for a shot at the district title.

What are the biggest strengths of this year’s squad? What style of play or identity do you expect this team to have on the future?

Our biggest strengths will be our consistency and dogged competitiveness. This team has really leaned into the most important statistic in the game of tennis: that nine out of every ten points ends on an error.  This team has really developed its ability to have patience during points and make their opponents work.  I expect this competitive and patient play style to be the calling card of NHS tennis in the future.

What challenges will this team need to overcome to be successful? Are there areas where the team will need to grow as the season progresses?

The team will have to overcome the loss of its talented senior class of 2025.  I have seen the class of 2026 pick up the torch where those guys left off last year to try to keep the level of NHS tennis continuing to grow.  The big dog in the district has always been, and continues to be, the Brentwood Bruins.  This NHS squad has leaned into the challenge that another strong Brentwood team presents and looks forward to making them work to repeat as district champs!

What are your expectations and goals for this season? How do you define success for this group both on and off the court?

I think success this year will be a top 3 finish on for both boys and girls in the district.  Brentwood is obviously very talented, but Ravenwood, Page, Independence, and even a much improved Summit and Centennial programs mean that the district has no cake walks.  I believe if this team can continue to believe in one another, we could find ourselves playing in a district title come late april.

Make sure to catch NHS tennis teams at one of their home matches this spring.
The courts are located behind the school building between the football and
baseball fields. Go Knights!