Lauren Shirley is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Brophy Prep for AZPreps365.com

With 20 state tennis titles in over five decades, Brophy Prep is preparing to chase a fourth consecutive championship. 

The Broncos have won the past three state titles under coach Eric Chalmers, but they will be sporting a young roster this year.

“We’ll have two juniors in our starting six, three freshmen and one sophomore,” Chalmers said. 

Chalmers said that two players to look out for this season are Andrew Chong and Jack Brown, who are considered two of the top players in the Southwest section.

“Not only are they great tennis players, they’re great leaders for our team,” Chalmers said. 

Chalmers said a big focus of his is to build great leaders and to create a positive culture within the team. 

“We call it a tennis family, so it’s that dynamic, it’s great, it’s brought a lot of new energy to the team,” Chalmers said.

While the Broncos look to defend their state title, there are many strong challengers. Chalmers said that Desert Mountain, Chaparral, Hamilton, and Desert Vista are going to put up a strong fight. 

Chalmers is aware that the team has a target on its back and that every school is going to compete hard against them.

“Our winning formula for the last three years and the emphasis we focus so much of our practice time on is our doubles, and that really pays off in a big way,” he said.  “We benefit from having such depth in our roster, that we’re able to put together three really strong doubles.” 

Since tennis is a sport of many potential injuries, Chalmers wants to ensure every player on his team is ready to step up in case an injury occurs.

“Even if we have injuries, we’ve got guys ready to come off the bench and play,” he said.

As the game of tennis has changed, Chalmers said he has adapted his team to the modern style of the game, which includes an aggressive style.

“We work a lot on having strong net skills and good teamwork when you’re playing out there, and that skills really translate onto the court,” he said.

Chalmers also focuses on team camaraderie, as it is a key element to leading a successful team. As a coach, building that culture is imperative for a team to be as strong as the Broncos.

Chalmers admires his group of guys this year because they are easy to work with, humble and support each other to be successful. 

“They look out for each other, so it’s really a privilege to coach them,” Chalmers said. 

The Broncos' season is set to start on Feb. 26 against Mountain View. Following the season opener, the team will travel to Waco, Texas, where they will compete against teams from across the country at the UTR National High School Tennis Championships.