Three starters return to lead FHS girls tennis team.

Like all coaches, Sean Swisher regrets the team concept, the inter-player contact, and the interscholastic competition lost to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the optimist in him is always looking for a glass-half-full positive to take away from the situation. "You know, in a sense, it might have actually helped in a way because this is an activity where the girls could get out and do something," said Swisher, Findlay High's girls tennis coach. "We did a good job working around it. We had a lot of protocol in place. We were taking temperatures when they arrived. We had Xs marked on the court where they could put their stuff to ensure social distancing. We have 28 girls on the roster and all summer long, three days a week, I'd say we had a minimum of 20 girls out here every night. "They put in the work. I'm very happy with this group of girls because they showed up, they worked hard and they never complained. And no matter what your talent level is, that's going to get you a long way." Swisher returns no league champions or state qualifiers from last year's team. And graduation cost him his No. 1 singles player (Megan Earhart), his No. 1 doubles team (twins Kelsey and Ashley Coleman), and half of his No. 2 doubles team (Miyu Uchiyama). Depth and balance, traditional strengths of Findlay's program, are again in abundance, though. This year's top three singles players are all returning starters, and Swisher likes the competitive makeup of his two doubles teams. Juniors Sydney Swisher and Mollie Quaid bump up a spot in the lineup this season. Swisher, who reached the No. 2 singles semifinals of the Three Rivers Athletic Conference tournament last season, replaces Earhart at No. 1 singles, with Quaid, fifth in the TRAC tournament at No. 3 singles, takes over at No. 2. Senior Katie Short, half of last year's No. 2 doubles team, steps in at No. 3 singles this season. Seniors Tara Spahr and Grace Miller will represent Findlay at No. 1 doubles this year, with juniors Maddie Barberree and Libby LaMaster teaming up at No. 2 doubles. "Our doubles teams may not have a lot of match play experience, per se," Sean Swisher said. "But Grace and Tara have played other sports and are great athletes and Maddie and Libby have been playing doubles together since they were freshmen. Our Nos. 1 and 2 doubles teams are neck and neck most of the time. I'm very happy with the depth we have once again." Swisher also serves as Findlay High's boys' tennis coach, and after the cancellation of all spring sports due to the coronavirus he taking an optimistic approach to the fall season. "After what happened in the spring where you sat and analyzed it every day hoping and praying you'd get to play, now I just kind of take it day by day and hope that (cancellations) doesn't happen. "We're prepared to play a full season. It's not like in the spring where every sport was lumped together. We've been dubbed a non-contact sport, and if we can stay in that category I think we have a chance. "The problem I see is these counties popping up red (Level 3, symbolizing high risk for exposure and spread of the coronavirus). When that happens it becomes more about the school district rather than the governor saying what you can and can't play. "All we can do is control what we can control, and all we can control right now is tomorrow, then the next day and then the day after that." 2020 Girls Tennis Schedule Fri., Aug. 7 &emsp;&emsp;at Bowling Green &emsp;&emsp;4:30 Sat., Aug. 8 &emsp;&emsp;at Ashland Invitational 9 a.m. Mon., Aug. 10 Perrysburg &emsp;&emsp;4:30 Tues., Aug. 11 at Defiance &emsp;&emsp;4 Thur., Aug. 13 at Maumee &emsp;&emsp;4:30 Fri., Aug. 14 &emsp;&emsp;at Norwalk &emsp;&emsp;4:15 Sat., Aug. 15 at Norwalk Doubles Invite 9 a.m. Tues., Aug. 18 at Celina &emsp;&emsp;4:30 Wed., Aug. 19 Sylvania Northview &emsp;&emsp;4:30 Thur., Aug. 20 at Lima Senior (TRAC) 4:30 Fri., Aug. 14 &emsp;&emsp;at Norwalk &emsp;&emsp;4:15 Tues., Aug. 25 Toledo St. Ursula (TRAC) &emsp;&emsp;4:30 Thur., Aug. 27 Fremont Ross (TARC) 4:30 Tues., Sept. 1 Toledo Notre Dame (TRAC) &emsp;&emsp;4:30 Wed., Sept. 2 at Elida 4:30 Tues., Sept. 8 at Tol. Central Catholic (TRAC) 4:30 Thur., Sept. 10 Toledo Whitmer (TRAC) 4:30 Sat., Sept. 12 Fremont Doubles Tournament&emsp;&emsp;9 a.m. Tues., Sept. 15 at Oregon Clay (TRAC) 4:30 Wed., Sept. 16 Wapakoneta 4:30 Fri., Sept. 18 &emsp;&emsp;TRAC Tournament, at Oregon Clay &emsp;&emsp;10 a.m. Sat., Sept. 19 TRAC Tournament, at Oregon Clay &emsp;&emsp;10 a.m. Thur., Sept. 24 at Lima Central Catholic 4:30 Mon., Sept. 28 at Springfield 4:30 Thurs., Oct. 1 at Ottawa-Glandorf &emsp;&emsp;4:30