2021/2022 – The Reagan Varsity Tennis Team

Wow, what a year for all our Reagan Rattlers. This 2021-22 season has had culminated in some exceptional wins and inevitable losses too.

First up we should recognize that this is an especially momentous occasion for the Rattlers Varsity Tennis Team as they graduate out 13 seniors that have been a pivotal part of the team and instrumental in many ways on and off the court. This amounts to at least half of the current team. Their dedication to their sport and the spirit in which they competed, supported and held themselves as a Rattler throughout the 2021-2022 season should be commended.

In a previous article we commemorated a group of our graduating seniors that had partaken in their last ever match as a Senior. We would like to take this opportunity to now recognize the final swath of players who after the Regionals and State UIL tournaments have also played out their final matches as a Reagan Rattler.

Senior Girls:

Emily Higgs (4-Year Letterman)

Emily joined the team as a Freshman and played all 4 years on the Varsity Tennis team. She played in both the singles and the doubles line up and in her senior year won 3rd place in the Girls doubles with her partner Paulin Razo. She played a key part in all 4 years helping the Varsity Team win the District Champs each year and culminated in a record 10th title in a row for the Reagan Rattlers Varsity Tennis Team. Emily showed amazing grit and determination throughout her career on the team as she battled through a few tough injuries. She managed to continuously bounce back and get herself back in shape for team play. We won’t mention too many details about the time she slipped and fell and almost knocked herself out?? Joking aside, Emily has provided us with many wonderful memories over the four years as a Reagan Rattler. We wish her will in her next adventure at Mary Hardin Baylor as she prepares for college in the fall of 2022.

Senior Boys:

Imanol Avila (4-Year Letterman)

Imanol played all 4 years on the team in both Singles and Doubles. In his Sophomore and Junior Year he specialized in Boys Doubles and formed a formidable partnership with Shaan Desai (2021 Graduate) and they were a solid bet in Line 3 doubles. However Imanol really found his niche in his senior year where he diversified to Mixed Doubles and partnered with Livia Washington (Sophomore). Together they both performed excellently and went all the way to the UIL 6A Regionals tournament. Unfortunately the dream run came to an end at the Regionals Tournament and Imanol played out his final shots at the tournament as a Reagan Rattler. Imanol has always been the “cool” dude on the team with his signature aviator sunglasses and distinct style of play. His camaraderie on and off the court will be missed and we wish him well in his future endeavors.

Deuce Daniel (3-Year Letterman for Regan, 1-Year Letterman for Churchill)

Deuce joined the team in his Sophomore year as a transfer from Churchill High School. Unfortunately due to some strange and weird UIL rule he was inhibited from playing his entire first year. What he lacked in competing he made up for as the official team mascot/cheerleader/motivator. Despite the set back of a whole year he excelled in his his Junior and Senior year on both Singles and Doubles. The pinnacle of his tennis came in Boys Doubles where he and his partner, Jon Totorica (Sophomore), and they won the UIL 6A District Boys Doubles and they both earned a berth into the Regional Tournament. Unfortunately the road came to an end for them at the Regionals Tournament and Deuce also played out his final match as a Reagan Rattler. Special Mention should go out to Deuce with his diagnosis of Diabetes in his Junior that provided him with several challenges and hurdles to overcome. He managed to do so with flying colors and should be recognized for him facing adversity and rallying through and persevering with this life changing condition. We wish Deuce well in all his future endeavors and look forward to following his Tennis career at Grinnell College, Iowa.

Kyle Totorica (4-Year Letterman)

Kyle started his Freshman year in the starting line up at the #1 Singles and Doubles slot for the Reagan Rattlers, and consequently played all 4 years as our number one player in both disciplines. He also featured in the occasional Mixed Doubles rotation as needed and never shirked his duties and came to the table each time of asking. His talent, commitment and overall determination led him to many successes with the team and also personally, as he was crowned the UIL 6A Boys Singles State Champion Title in 2022. Kyles speed and exciting groundstrokes allowed his fellow team members to learn and flourish with him and he led the charge each year for the Reagan Rattlers on and off the court. We all look forward to seeing Kyle continue to flourish and we wish him well in his future endeavors and look forward to following his Tennis career at Xavier University, OH

Joseph Snyman (4-Year Letterman)

Joseph played all 4 years for the Reagan Rattlers in Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles and excelled and grew in each capacity. Early in his Reagan Tennis career he was affectionately known as “Tape Knees” in his first few weeks on the team. Reason being, no-one knew who he was!. He had only just relocated from Austin and would have been a Vandegrift Viper. We are thrilled he chose to be a Reagan Rattler. His height and wingspan made him a formidable doubles opponent in both the Boys and the Mixed Doubles format, as well as also having a “bomb” serve. He managed to reach the UIL 6A Boys Singles Regionals Tournament 2022 as runner-up to Kyle.  Sadly he ended his Reagan career losing in an unforgettably epic match against Anmey Deveraj (Lake Travis High School), who was a much higher ranked player. Sadly his body did not cooperate and he cramped badly after 3 grueling hours despite his best attempts to continue. Joseph’s stature on the team grew throughout his years, and he is now affectionately known as “Speph!”. We look forward to seeing Joseph continuing to grow and flourish and we wish him well in his future endeavors and will keenly watch his future Tennis career at Southwestern University, TX.

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These young student Athletes should all be commended for their commitment and dedication to their craft, their school and most importantly to their team. We trust the experiences you were dealt and handed during your time as a Reagan Rattler Athlete will pave the way for better things to come in the future. Take your experiences, good or bad, learn from them and always be the better person. Congratulations to all our Graduating Seniors and good luck in whichever direction life takes you. Strike Em!!

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With the season ending on a high and Reagan High School having their first ever State Tennis Champion (Kyle Totorica) and also securing a record 10th in a row UIL 6A District Team Champions Title, it is most important to recognize the parents and coaching staff who made so much possible throughout the year.

To Coach Daniel and Coach Sierra, we are hugely appreciative of the way you have supported our athletes on and off the court. Sometimes they need a little tough love, and sometimes they just needed a quiet word of encouragement. Both of your commitments to the program over the years has finally bourn the fruits of your labor. We have a record 6 seniors going on to play NCAA College Tennis. (Kyle – Xavier University, Joseph – Southwestern University, Deuce – Grinnell College, Emily – Mary Hardin Baylor, Kara and Alissa – Wheaton College). This is a testament to the standards and efforts you have both given to supporting, encouraging and helping nurture the growth and development of all the students in your care. Thank you and they will forever be in your debt.

We also would like to wish Coach Sierra the very best of luck as he has accepted the role as the Head Basketball Coach at Vandegrift High School. You have been justly rewarded and we hope you can recruit a bus driver half as good as you. You are awesome and we are so proud of you and all you have done for the team. We will miss the you and all the very best of luck for the future ahead and don’t forget,

“Once a Rattler Always a Rattler!!

To our Parent Support Team. There are too many names to list, but each of you have contributed in some shape or form. From event organizers, accountants, Diamond Backers, team dinners, court side snacks, car pooling, media updating and the never-ending support and cheerleading you all provide, give yourselves a pat on the back for another amazing year. We all made it and got through with, new friends, many wonderful stories and some fabulous successes to enjoy and remember. To our senior parents, the Rattler Team Family will miss you all (Sorry Owena and Ralph Totorica, you’re in it for the long haul!!). As your children leave this team to follow and pursue other paths, always know that there is a Rattler Family here for you to come back and join in on the fun. Without all the parents commitments of time and energy none of this would be possible. To all incoming and continuing parents, we trust that you will continue to fly the flag high and build each year to make this the best Rattler Athletic team ever.

Finally, we would be remiss if we did not thank all the Student Athletes on our Reagan Rattler Tennis Team. Thanks for being such wonderful students, siblings, and athletes. What you do balancing your dedication to your sport as well as your academics is impressive. We are all so proud of all you have achieved and we know all the experiences you had on and off the court this year will stand you in good stead for the future. We look forward to many more years of trials and tribulations, as well as overwhelming successes for you all, on and off the court.

A final thought to all who have endured reading this:

“The winner has a different memory and the loser has a different memory of the same event. Where then is the question of a shared memory? What is history? Where is the notion of a We? Unless, the victory has the grace to accept the loser into his moment of glory or the loser has the grace to accede the winner his moment of glory ?”
― Srividya Srinivasan

Written by Jake Snyman, a proud rattler parent!