The sport of tennis is more about securing points, sets, and matches. There is a certain element to it that challenges one to play the game with a certain dignity and reverence. Kyla Sinski has certainly taken a liking to that facet of the sport and has become one of the more high-caliber captains for the North Branford girls’ tennis team.

The North Branford junior started out with sports around the age of 4 with soccer before taking on gymnastics. While playing for the Thunderbirds her sophomore year on the pitch, she was encouraged by companions to try the tennis court and was hooked from there.

This season, while also serving as a junior captain for North Branford, Kyla played a bit of double duty by starting off the year in doubles competition before becoming a solo act at No. 3 singles.

“What I like about tennis is that it is a sport that is big on manners and maintaining good etiquette. Those are things that make the sport more than it really is, which I love,” says Kyla. “One thing that has helped me go far with tennis is simply getting comfortable with the team and even more so the game itself. The rules are very intricate, so you have to get those down, along with your form.”

On being at both sides of the spectrum with tennis, Kyla surmises that she loved having a running mate out there–especially when things would get dicey during doubles duels. Yet venturing out on her own, once she began to truly believe in herself and her own abilities, it was full steam ahead and all systems go on the singles front.

“While you are playing doubles, you always have someone to rely on no matter what,” Kyla says. “It is great to have that partner you can trust when you slip up out there. In singles, it can be tough because you have to learn to trust yourself. That is something that can be hard, but once you get it, it is smooth sailing from there.”

Stepping into a stewardship slot, Kyla craved being that critical mentor for the underclassmen and all peers. She explains that it was not only being able to instill any advice and skills, but also being a friend first and captain second.

“For me, it was tough going from just another teammate to a captain,” says Kyla. “It was a lot of fun going to practice every day and seeing the girls. I feel it is important to be someone for the younger girls that is both their friend and someone they can look up to and come to with anything. I tried to set out to do just that as a captain.”

There can be testy moments when opponents do not acquiesce to the honor system the game invokes. She says it is all about tact, carrying oneself the right way, and finding a resolution while taking things slowly and in stride.

“This does not happen all the time, but there can be times when someone is cheating on their score for a game or set,” says Kyla. “I have learned to watch words and instead of getting mad to simply ask them, ‘Are you sure about that?’ I have also learned that breathing helps and just taking a minute to regain yourself to play and go on.”

Many other newcomers found their way into the flock for the Thunderbirds this spring. As Kyla made them feel welcomed, she was also amazed at how quickly several of them picked up the sport in such a brief window of time that is the spring season for high school sports.

“At the start of the year, we had a lot of new players. It was not because we had a small team, but a lot of girls liked the team and decided they wanted to join. Watching those girls grow throughout the short year was great. They learned things super quick and played super well out there.”

North Branford Head Coach Elizabeth Caplan adds that Kyla has all the desirable intangibles in what it takes to be a leader. She is someone who knows how to approach each situation with the proper tact and encouragement for others.

“Kyla is an incredibly supportive teammate, and she is approachable, kind, and is always there for others,” says Caplan. “She's a great communicator and is very organized. She challenges herself to improve on the court and is very much looking forward to next year to help lead the team to greater success.”

While Kyla has given her all to the T-Birds’ tennis program, it gave a lot back to her that can suit her quite well moving into the future of her final year. She has become a person who carries herself with great class, conviction, and understanding.

“This team helped me a lot through the years through various different things and helped me gain patience,” says Kyla. “Tennis helped me gain patience with things and people in public outside of the sport. Tennis is a sport that is all about etiquette and mixing it with competition. It also helped me with my etiquette as a soccer player. In life, I learned through tennis that a lot of things are about just taking time, breathing, and being patient. Those things are the biggest keys to being successful in tennis and in other parts of life.”