Bryce Lin couldn’t catch his breath. The district semifinal against Spring Woods had gone into a third-set tiebreak. His entire season hung in this instant. Across the court, his doubles partner, Alois LeCoz, waited for his serve. Lin tightened his grip. Then he served.
They won the point. They won the match.
It was a turning point in what otherwise had been a tough season. CVHS tennis had lost their seniors. New doubles had to be made from scratch. Spring Woods, a new team competing, became a strong contender against CVHS.
“They got much better this year,” Lin said. “We figured to beat them 10–0 again like we did last year, but we couldn’t win. We had to fight.”
As spring season comes around to regionals, a new group of underclassmen is on the rise. Sophomores Bryce Lin and Alois LeCoz and freshman Risako Fujita are part of the starting lineup. They’re new to the spotlight, but they’ve kept CVHS in the game.
For Lin, this is his second trip to regionals. He began playing tennis in elementary school after trying out a few other sports.
“I started competing in third or fourth grade,” he said. “At first it was more of, ‘This is fun.’ Then I got serious.”
Seriousness isn’t simple. Lin has battled through injuries and homework. For the 2024-25 year, elbow and Achilles tendon injuries slowed him down. He had to cut back on training on weekends and block days because of school.
Still, he didn’t lower his expectations.
“Last year I made regionals, so this year I was trying to do the same,” he said. “I just played as hard as I could and did my best.”
It was a plan that paid off. In the district finals, Lin and LeCoz fell behind Spring Woods in a close match.
“We didn’t play well, but we still won,” Lin said. “Knowing that you can win even when you’re not playing your best, that’s worthwhile.”
In tennis, the mind is as important as the body as well, as Lin said. Games last hours. Momentum shifts suddenly. Pressure tires players out. Lin has worked on staying calm when things don’t go well.
“I’ve gotten a lot more relaxed playing,” he said. “Earlier, if I did something wrong, I would get really angry. Now I just tell myself to forget it and go ahead. That helps a lot.”
Doubles offers another test. Lin and LeCoz have been doubles teammates together since middle school. Yet, their chemistry just gets better.
“Alois is an extremely aggressive player,” Lin said. “He’s willing to take big shots. I like to play a little more safe, so we balance each other out.”
LeCoz shares a similar belief.
“You gotta believe in your partner,” he said. “If you don’t, you ain’t gonna win. You’ll hesitate or doubt. But when we’re gelling, it works.”
LeCoz started as a singles player but switched to doubles when he figured that it was more his game. He also likes the strategy.
“People believe tennis is all about hitting hard,” he said. “But it’s about placement, timing and concentration. You need to think two or three moves ahead.”
That mentality transfers off the court, too.
“Tennis has made me more patient,” LeCoz said. “When I am frustrated with a math problem at school, I remind myself it’s like a match. You stay calm and keep practicing.”
Both players want to make it past regionals this time. The competition will be harder, and the room for mistakes will shrink.
“We’re working on our serves and returns,” Lin said. “That’s where a lot of matches are won or lost. And staying mentally strong is everything.”
For these younger players, tennis is more than a sport. It’s a test of resilience, strategy and trust. They’ve stepped up in a rebuilding year and brought CVHS back to regionals. Now they’re chasing something more.
“We’re not just happy to be there,” Lin said. “We’re trying to win.”
