Team Racket

Posted by Nick Martinez in clubs

Tennis Club members Brendan Boyle (vice president), and Shawn Khounphithack (president). Photo by Jessie Leigh

Students here at Santa Fe University may not be known for their athletic prowess, but freshmen Shawn Khounphithack and Brendan Boyle are planning to change that.

The tennis team, or Team Racket as the club dubs itself, took its name from the villainous duo in the popular Pokemon television series. The club was recently granted legitimate status from the school.

“It’s tennis, so not many people were interested in it,” said Khounphithack, the club’s president. “But, I decided to give it a gimmick, everyone likes Pokemon, It gives it a little flair to it, a little spice.”

Team Racket President and Vice President Shawn Khounphithack (left), and Brendan Boyle (right), get ready to play a quick match. Photo by Jessie Leigh

With 35 Facebook members and a rotating group of 12 who show up for scheduled matches, Team Racket is definitely a club on the rise. Despite the high interest, Khounphithack, who is self-described beginner, stresses that these aren’t high stakes matches.

“It’s a club, not a team,” he said. “It’s definitely competitive but you can still have fun.”

Team Racket’s VP Boyle has more experience, having played three years in high school, and is planning to coach the eventual team the club creates. Still, he echoes the “fun first” sentiment of the club.

“I like that tennis is always fun,” he said. “You go to other sports and it’s all drills. The practices themselves are not fun, only the games are fun. Going to tennis practice is just as fun as a match because all you do is play more tennis.”

The duo are tight lipped about upcoming events, but assured Jackalope that there will be one soon. Regardless the goals of Team Racket are clear: Continue to grow, and establish stability.

“I would like to make sure things are consistent,” said Khounphithack. “I definitely won’t have the time that I do now.”

So the time is now SFUAD. Leave your dimly lit dorms and say no to Netflix, because Team Racket is blasting off again.