Bison tennis camps cap another smashing summer run

Check out the entire group of third through eighth graders who recently finished their McCook Bison Tennis Camp beginners session recently. All players appear from left. Front row, sitting: Evalyn Huffman, Felicity Been, Sadie Hagemann, Margaret Siegfried, Makaylin Wolfe, Brielle Hegwood, Kaeden Downing, Zeke Hegwood, Christopher Been, Nathaniel Blomstedt, Eli Hegwood and Lucas Gohl. Second row, kneeling and standing: Kenny Koebel, Keira Brown, Jossy Clause, Isabelle Davidson, Hadley Esch, Claire Thompson, Selah Montes, Kaelyn Downing, Lola Downing, Darika Lorentz, Leah Messinger, Dean Sailors, Paxton Messinger, Elijah Scherbarth, Ryker Mooney, Max Bates, Cove Bankston, Maya Webb and Kenzie Coady. Third row, standing: Katherine Camacho, Audie Covarribias, Celia Koebel, Kassadi Porter, Vivie Koebel, Kroy Barger, Parker Bobinmyer, Cannon Crawford, Sullivan Hancock, Christian Parde, Clayton Gohl, Ashton Koeppe and Jase Dixon. Fourth row, coaches: assistant girls coach Baylee Brownawell, student coaches Adelaide Miller, Abi Thompson, Trev Wiemers, Zane Montes, Walker Coleman and Trevor Lindsay, McCook head coach Matt Wiemers. Not pictured: Brody Yager, Lane Downing, Corinne Downing and Julie Remington.

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McCOOK, Neb. ­ The Bison tennis summer advanced session came to a close this past Friday.

Camp Director and McCook High School tennis coach Matt Wiemers was pleased with the summer program and saw continued development throughout the session.

The summer program consisted of two weeks of fundamentals, instruction and league play.

McCook Bison Tennis Camp beginners league champions were Kassadi Porter (left) and Sullivan Hancock.

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Camp participants were assigned to one of the four teams, where they competed with one another in doubles and singles play.

Each match was worth one team point and an overall team score was kept between the teams. Players competed in both gender singles and doubles.

The Bison tennis summer program was started in 2000 by current MHS tennis coach and current assistant coach Greg Larson with 12 participants.

League champions in the McCook Bison Tennis Camp younger division from left are Makaylin Wolfe, Evalyn Huffman, Christian Parde, Ashton Koeppe, Zeke Hegwood and Eli Hegwood.

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The advancing session saw over 50 participants taking part in the camp and league.

The summer off-season opportunity continues to enhance the success for players heading into the fall and spring tennis seasons.

It also aids in building friendships with future Bison players and their coaches. The interest and growth of tennis has been steady and showing more and more signs of the popularity of the sport.

McCook's champions in the older league division are Keira Brown, Jossy Clause, Sadie Hagemann, Kenlyn Koebel, Kroy Barger, Max Bates, Nathaniel Blomstedt

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“I thank each camp participant and their families for their support and help in making the summer program the success it has become,” Wiemers commented.

“Over the past 28 years, we continue to see growing interest and the need for the summer program and I am pleased to continue to provide the opportunities for our area’s youth.

It continues to be a hugepart of our success and offers a great opportunity for all levels of players to improve their skills and work on proper technique.

“A big thank you to Coach Brownawell and our current and former Bison tennis players for their help with the summer session.

Without their help the summer program would not be as successful as it is! And a special thank you to McCook Lettering for providing the camp trophies and medals.

And of course to Mr. Bill for serving up some great treats!”