By: Haley Hunt, Tenacity Intern and Special Correspondent

With another middle school tennis season in the books, many schools’ programs are still in session, but are winding down for the end of the school year.

The DMC, in particular, has a unique program in comparison to that of the other Boston schools. Not only is it home to reigning Crane Cup champion Marvin Baez, but it is also the biggest school, and therefore has one of the largest program sizes in the Tenacity Middle School League.

This past week, 6th grade students at the DMC enjoyed more relaxed practices. Instead of structured tennis and fitness drills, players chose between playing either basketball or tennis. Since students are not currently preparing for a tennis competition, they are not required to attend practice for the rest of the year. However, the players that continue to attend these “optional” practices cited motivation to maintain their fitness (in addition to the “fun” factor) as leading components in their decision to participate.

Though the DMC finished towards the bottom of the league in the regular season, their more recent tournament results helped to establish them as one of the league’s fiercest competitors. At the Staniar Open, the Panthers fell just several points short of a spot in both flight finals. And, at the Crane Cup, eighth grade player Marvin Baez emerged from tight semifinal and final matchups to be crowned champion.

Marvin’s newly earned title of “Best Player in the League,” combined with the team’s impressive fourth place finish at both the Crane Cup and the Staniar Open, leave them poised for future success. These noteworthy achievements, combined with their contagious team spirit, will help them to develop into a show-stopping team in the coming seasons.