The cream of North Dakota's tennis crop is in Grand Forks

It’s been more than 35 years since Ronald Reagan stated, during his first inaugural address, “Those who say that we’re in a time when there are no heroes, they just don’t know where to look.” We discovered heroes in every state, starting with the determined 69-year-old who won a match at an ITF Pro Circuit event earlier this year in the Alabama town of Pelham, and culminating with the coach who has overcome multiple sclerosis to build a winning program at the University of Wyoming. Their compelling stories of courage, perseverance and achievement demonstrate that the message delivered by our 40th President rings as true today as it did then.

For most sports teams, losses are part of the game.

Don’t tell that to the Red River High School tennis program in Grand Forks, ND.

The boys’ and girls’ teams have become the stuff of legend in North Dakota. The boys carried a streak of 17 straight state championships into their 2015-16 season, while the girls won 14 in a row. Their winning streaks totaled an astounding 211 and 203, respectively.

So how did a high school in one of the country’s northernmost states become a hot spot for top tennis talent? The longtime coach of both teams, Greg LaDouceur, credits the supportive tennis community.

“Success breeds success around here,” he says. “We have a lot of families with multiple siblings who have seen all the positives that go along with playing the sport of tennis. They all want to be involved.”

With many players graduating without facing a single team or individual loss, it’s easy to wonder if they missed out on the life lessons that tennis typically provides. Regardless, players learned to compete with high expectations, a valuable skill in its own right.

Sam Anderson’s experience at Red River helped prepare her for a college tennis career at Creighton University in 2012.

“There was definitely a target on our backs,” says the four-time state champion, “but that made us train and practice harder in and out of season to keep the streak alive.”

It was during the 2015-16 season when other programs learned how to hit Red River’s bull’s-eye. Both the boys and girls got their first taste of defeat.

“We knew it was going to happen eventually,” LaDouceur says. “I thought we handled it really well. We had to pick ourselves up and move on. The sun is going to come up tomorrow.”

Their first loss in years behind them, both teams experienced a hint of relief, a momentary break from the pressure they were so used to shouldering. Their focus now becomes starting a new streak with the help of an ever-growing North Dakota tennis community.

Though top athletes in the Grand Forks area are more likely to be found shooting hockey pucks than hitting fuzzy yellow balls, Red River continues to produce collegiate-level tennis players. Perhaps more importantly, the school’s history of success is responsible for exposing locals to the game. Lifelong tennis fans or not, everyone likes a winner.