Captains of the Week: Lally Lavin, Clark Pearson and Jayson Tung

By MAX MANTEL and LILY RAMPE

Tennis captains smile for a photo after practice. Vir Shrestha / The Exonian

As the weather slowly starts to warm up, the boys and girls tennis teams are just getting their season started. The leadership and encouragement of senior captains Lally Lavin, Clark Pearson, and Jayson Tung have helped both teams create a strong season. The girls team started off with a terrific start, defeating The Governor’s Academy, Middlesex School, St. Paul’s School, and Northfield Mount Hermon School. Although the boys team faced difficulty at the beginning of their season with The Groton School and Loomis Chaffee School, they picked up momentum and secured strong wins over St. Paul’s School and Choate Rosemary Hall.

When about the atmosphere of the girls team, Lavin highlighted the supportive environment, “We always have music playing and have a routine going at the start. The team has a perfect combination of having fun while working hard.”

Lower Brianna Cong further elaborated on the atmosphere of the girls team. “We share each other’s triumphs and blunders, laughing together at our dumb mistakes and cheering loudly for our great points. There are often times when you can hear us screaming out of fear when playing at the net or collapsing into fits of laughter after a particularly wild point.”

Lower Steven Chen agreed that the boys’ team fosters a similar environment. “Due to our coaches and captains, our team members are a lot more motivated to improve and truly enjoy the

game of tennis.”

Cong expressed admiration for Lavin’s sportsmanship. “Even when she is facing challenges in her own matches (which is rare), she never fails to cheer for her teammates, shouting out ‘Go big red’ or ‘Go [person’s name]’ to encourage them on the court.” Lavin, the captain of the girls varsity tennis team, is said to be loud, enthusiastic, and a great team leader. “She is like our team’s big sister,” Cong said. “She brings unparalleled energy and enthusiasm to the team, and her cheers can be heard from miles away. One of the running jokes on our team is that Lally accounts for 95% of our volume when we cheer. She is undoubtedly the loudest and best cheerer on our team.”

Lavin elaborated on her growth throughout her time on the team. “Since coming to Exeter, I’ve focused much more on my doubles playing,” Lavin said. “In high school matches, both doubles and singles matches count equally towards the overall score. There is a very different strategy to doubles play than to singles play, and since I had always focused more on singles, I had to learn many new skills to grow as a doubles player. Right now, my doubles partner, Lucy Will, and I have a 4-1 record, evidence of both of our hard work.”

Pearson and Tung are both the captains of the boys tennis team who are always there to help out their teammates and keep a positive atmosphere on the team. Chen said, “I think both of our captains do an excellent job of acting as role models and supporting especially younger players on our team to be the best they can be. They do an amazing job at fostering team spirit and sportsmanship.”

Mitchell Tam echoed a similar sentiment, “Tennis is a mental sport, and a lot of us on the team are able to hit great shots but can’t get past that mental barrier. When they get the chance, Clark and Jayson do their best to help us get past that barrier and just play the best we can.”

Chen continued, “I think both captains this year are amazing examples of what a great captain ought to be, and our team would definitely not be what it is without either of them.”

As captains, Lavin, Pearson, and Tung all serve as role models for their teammates. Cong said, “Lally embodies every aspect of a leader and sets the tone for the team with her lively energy, positive attitude, and resilience even in the face of challenge.”

Tam elaborated on the team’s bond fostered by the captains, “The team has a chill and fun vibe, all of us know each other pretty well, and we joke around a lot as a team and get dinner together most of the time.” 

Lower Lexi Meyer continued to talk about the environment on the team, “The team is energetic and motivated, although we do also have fun with practices. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming. Especially on Varsity B, I would say the team is very close-knit.,” Meyer said. 

Lavin was optimistic about the future of the team. “I'm very optimistic about our team. Our lineup is very different from last year, but we have a lot of depth and a variety of playing styles… It's been off to a great start, with our first four matches giving us four consecutive wins! We're really finding our groove, and I'm loving it.”