Stepping onto the court for Ada High School, sophomore Gus Byrd competes with one thing in mind — doing his part to push the Cougars toward a state title. “My personal goal this season is to do whatever I can to help increase the chances our team wins state this year,” Byrd said.
He believes the group’s experience and comfort level have taken a big step forward. “Team morale has been great,” he said. “Last year, we were all pretty new to tennis. This year, we are a lot more relaxed and have been having a great time.” That growth shows up in pressure moments. “The biggest improvement I’ve seen from the team is our ability to play as close to the same if not the same in high pressure points,” he said.
Team goals go beyond trophies and medals. “Some of the team goals this year is obviously we want to win state, but I think we also all just want to better our game and ourselves along the way,” Byrd said. He credits their coach and chemistry as major strengths. “The biggest strength of the team is for one we have coach Swopes, he’s the GOAT,” he said.
On the court, Byrd leads from the top of the lineup. “I play one singles,” he said. Against steady opponents, he leans into patience and strategy. “When facing someone who is really good at getting balls in, I just tell myself there is no rush to finish this match,” he said. “If he wants to hit 100 ball rallies, then I am going to either get ready to do the same or look for open spots.”
Off the court, relationships drive much of what he loves about Ada tennis. “Something people may not know is that most of the team grew up together and we hangout a lot outside of practice,” he said.
He hopes his time at Ada is remembered for more than just scores. “When I graduate, I hope people remember me as someone who was always fun to be around and a hard worker,” he said. Looking ahead, he already has a plan forming. “I’m involved in student council, and after high school, I want to go to the University of Oklahoma to get a degree in something business-related or construction.”
