Tennis Wins State Championship
(This speech was made to the entire student body during a special assembly on April 26, 2017 in celebration of our tennis team winning the 3A State Championship.)
Good Morning, we gather together this morning to celebrate the success our tennis team had on the court this season. Through hard work and perseverance these student athletes won the first state team championship in tennis in school history. Additionally, they continued the school’s current state championship streak of 11 straight school years in which we have had at least one state championship.
One of the remarkable attributes to this team is that these young men and their coach won this championship without a home court. As you know, because of the current construction going on in school, the tennis courts have been closed all year long. The tennis team has been calling Tropical Park home throughout the year. They have had to travel to all practices and matches.
I hope we all know that championships never come easy. Long practices, individual sacrifices, the avoidance of injuries, and coaching all had to come together with one purpose in mind to do the Magis. We must remember that in everything we do, from playing tennis to studying, we do our very best for the Greater Glory of God.
We are very proud of the entire team, but I would like to focus on the 6 players who played in the 3A state tournament and their coach. As I call your name please step forward. Senior Juan Rodriguez Verde, senior Lucas Venegas, senior Eduardo Scheuren, junior Sebastian Duenas, senior Daniel Martinez, junior Charlie Grande, and Coach JD Barbosa.
These six young men each played a vital role in the three victories at the state tournament. In each round you play two double matches and 5 single matches. The first team to reach four wins advances to the next level. In the quarterfinal round, Belen defeated Braden River by the score of 4 to 0. In the semifinal round, we defeated Ft. Myers by the score of 4 to 2 with our #2 doubles team, our #2, #3, and #4 singles player winning. In the final round, we defeated Niceville 4 to 2 with our #1 doubles team, #1, #2 and #3 singles winning.
Daniel Martinez, our #2 singles in the tournament, was undefeated and Sebastian Dueñas, our #3 singles also was undefeated. Each player had a key individual or doubles win throughout the three rounds of the state tournament.
I would like for all of us to once more congratulate our 2017 State Champion Tennis team with a strong round of applause.
Click here to view pictures from the special assembly.
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: communications@belenjesuit.org
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: communications@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba, by Queen Isabel II of Spain. The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline. In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the school's property and expelled the Jesuit faculty. The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow. Today, Belen Jesuit is situated on a 34-acre site in western Dade County, just minutes away from downtown Miami.