The Hoover boys’ tennis team of 13 players is looking strong for the 2023 spring season.

The team has welcomed several new players this year who are relatively new to the sport. Some of them won’t be playing but will be working hard to get into tennis matches in the future.

The team’s coach, Mher Ivynian, who came to Hoover last year, has improved immensely on the capability of the team since last year.

Ivynian has increased the difficulty of the team’s daily training, gotten access to the weight room and additional equipment, and put emphasis on being prepared for games and practices.

But none of this would be possible without assistant coach Arpi Terabramians, team captain Lim Benjamin, and the team’s best player, Alec Avedisian.

Terabramians assists Ivynian in coaching the team and allows for better control with a bigger number of students.

Lim Benjamin, who is continuing his position as captain for this year, makes sure the team is focused on the road ahead.

“Personally I feel pretty happy about how our team looks this year,” Benjamin said. “We may not be the greatest in the division but considering how easily we get along I’m proud to call myself the captain of this team.”

As a senior, this will be his last year playing for Hoover and “although I may not be on the team the next two years,” he says. “I’m confident that the team will continuously get stronger as they practice and culminate their skills in the game.”

“Who knows? Maybe I’ll even come back as an assistant coach one day,” Benjamin added. “But I’m glad that the team is in good hands from what I see everyday at practice.”

As for Avedisian, he is a beacon of hope and a role model for the team. As the top player, he inspires everyone to better themselves everyday at practice.

Speaking of bettering themselves, the team has a couple of new players who are doing just that. The road ahead of them is long but they are working hard and are getting better by the day.

Some of those new players this year, like Alec Sarkissian, were definitely “looking forward to being a part of the tennis team” and believe “the tennis team is great and is set to do amazing things.”

Overall, the team this year is stronger, have better endurance and training, and are ready for the courts.

The team’s first game will be at Burbank High on Tuesday and will start at 2:30 p.m.