Freshman Mallory Novicoff plays varsity tennis at Blue Valley.

“I joined the tennis team this year because I’ve been playing tennis since I was 7 years old, and I love the sport because it’s a lifetime sport said Novicoff. I’ll be playing it until I cannot physically swing my racket.”

Novicoff said she plays tennis every day after school, and hopes this can continue as long as she can.

Along with playing tennis for the high school, Novicoff said she has to work hard at balancing her school work with her tennis schedule.

“I just have to make sure I write everything in my planner so right when I get home from tennis, I can get all my school work out of the way,” Novicoff said.

Novicoff states other things about school that help her succeed in her every day life.

“Staying on top of everything in school [lets me] enjoy playing a lot more because I won’t have stress,” Novicoff said.

She plays doubles with her older sister, Mandy. Novicoff said her goal for the season is to do well at Regionals and hopefully place well at State.

“I really want to go to state and place there because as my first year in high school and especially with my sister, that would be so amazing to do good,” Novicoff said.

Novicoff and her sister used to play singles but started playing doubles Novicoff’s freshman year since they are on a team together now.

Novicoff said, “I like doubles a lot better because it’s a lot less pressure because then the blame isn’t always completely your fault when you don’t get the point.”

Novicoff and her sister won their first tournament and placed fourth at the Eastern Kansas League Tournament.

“I like playing with Mandy because it’s really fun sister bonding, Novicoff said, and it helps us get along a lot better.”