Leesburg High School’s tennis program may not have the visibility of football or basketball, but three standout seniors are helping shine a brighter light on a team that has steadily grown under coach Rhonda Boston.

Riley Hayes, Ella Prater and Land Baltunis have become key leaders for the Yellow Jackets through their play on the court and by helping a young program continue to build momentum.

Rhonda, now in her seventh year as head coach, says the team has come a long way. When she first got involved, Leesburg didn’t even have a full roster.

“We only had three girls and one boy my first year,” she says. “To have a full match, you have to have five singles players and at least two doubles teams, or you forfeit. We were going into matches already having to forfeit.”

Now, the program has 18 players – seven boys and 11 girls – and Rhonda credits seniors like Riley, Ella and Land for helping move it forward.

Land Baltunis

Land, the boys’ No. 1 player, has been part of the Leesburg tennis program since his freshman year and has grown alongside the team during its development.

He first picked up a racket when he was about 8 or 9 years old after his father introduced him to the sport. Although he stepped away from tennis for a time during middle school, he returned to the game in high school after encouragement from Rhonda.

“My mom is really good friends with her and she told me I should pick it back up,” Land says. “So I started playing tennis again freshman year.”

Land has also balanced multiple sports throughout his high school career, competing in swimming, golf and soccer. That athletic background has helped him develop the focus and discipline needed to compete in tennis, a sport where every point depends on the individual player.

Rhonda says his experience and leadership have made him a cornerstone of the boys’ team.

Riley Hayes 

Tennis has been part of Riley’s life since childhood, though her competitive journey began at Leesburg High School.

“Coach and other players had to tell me where to stand when I first came,” Riley says. “But with a team and with helpful coaches, they brought me here to first seed.”

Riley credits the support of her coaches and teammates for helping her grow from a fifth-seed player as a freshman to the team’s top spot as a senior.

Rhonda says Riley has developed into one of the most reliable players in the program.

“She’s really good,” Rhonda says. “She’s a very strong player. She’s one of my players who I can depend on for some aces in a match.”

Riley has also given back to the sport by coaching younger players.

“For about two years, I coached seasonally (scheduled) kids from nine to 14,” Riley says. “That was just a joy. I loved that so much.”

Ella Prater

Ella Prater began playing tennis later than most, but the senior quickly made an impact.

After spending seven years playing club volleyball, Ella decided to try something new last season. She took just two tennis lessons before tryouts but quickly found success, earning the No. 4 seed on the team.

“I ended up being the fourth seed, which I was very excited for,” Ella says. “I’m glad I picked up on it quickly.”

Ella says the biggest adjustment was learning to compete in a sport where the responsibility rests entirely on the individual athlete.

“Tennis is very mentally tough,” she says. “It kind of took a lot of us talking about my games afterward and me reflecting on them for me to finally get where I am now.”

That mental growth, she says, has been one of the most valuable lessons the sport has taught her.

“I think that everybody should do a sport in their life because it teaches them so many values that they need to take with them anywhere they go,” Ella says. 

Photos: Cindy Peterson