With the addition of new girls tennis coach Shadimon Navarro, a familiar face returns to the Whitehall coaching ranks as she prepares to guide her new team into an uncertain fall season.

Following the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association’s vote last week to begin fall sports on Aug. 24, the girls tennis team will transition this week from voluntary “open practices” to full-fledged workouts in preparation for the season that is set to begin on Sept. 8.

Still, Navarro has to navigate the new environment, and that could mean a variety of unforeseen things that could affect or alter the season.

Navarro, a 2015 Whitehall graduate, will now take over the program, succeeding Alex Green who had been the girls’ head coach the last three years. She attended Kutztown University, continuing her tennis career as a member of the Golden Bears. The bulk of her varsity playing career at Kutztown was as a doubles player, appearing in 44 matches.

This is her first coaching job and she’s excited to roll up her sleeves and start working. She inherits a roster that has a good mix of veterans and newcomers. That list of vets includes Natalia Pedraza, Emily Tran, Mai Quach, Miranda Ortiz and Karla Anglada. Those players will form the foundation of this year’s squad.

She’s also been impressed with the newcomers during the open practices, many of whom have never played varsity tennis before.

“They’re doing an amazing job,” she said.

Navarro said that she’s been using the United States Tennis Association practice plan as her guidepost. While that takes care of the fundamentals, she also has to make sure the girls adhere to the resocialization steps as outlined by the school in its Return to Athletics Plan.

“I’m trying to keep the girls away from one another while still trying to build a team atmosphere,” said Navarro.

Navarro brings an energy and enthusiasm to the job, traits borne out by her personality and underscored by her time at Kutztown where she majored in Communications and minored in Public Relations.

“I’m a people person,” she said.

She hopes to instill her love for tennis and her enthusiasm for the game into her players.

“I love the game,” said Navarro. “I want them excited to come to practice every day.”

As she prepares for her first year, she is going to drive home the need for teamwork. She said that within that team framework, effort will undergird everything they do.

“We want to be out there fighting for every set, fighting to get to every ball,” said Navarro.

That will require commitment and concentration.

“Focus is the key,” she said. “Focus on the ball, the shot, and the opponent.”

She also firmly believes that tennis helps her players prepare for life. She said that the game is full of life lessons that will serve them moving forward. Among those are honesty, commitment, and the importance of being a team player.

“It’s about being a team player,” said Navarro.