Triplets in Tennis
The Birkenmeyer triplets continue playing tennis in their junior year
Taylor and Alyssa play as a doubles team at a match on August 31 against FHN.
In their junior year of high school, the Birkenmeyer triplets Alyssa, Taylor, and Peyton, continue playing on the varsity tennis team. They have played on the team since their freshman year, and it’s helped them grow closer as siblings and as teammates. Taylor and Alyssa have started playing as a doubles team together since Peyton was injured before the season began.
“I feel like I understand Taylor a bit more now that I have to work with her more on the court because it involves more teamwork and we have to be more cool with each other and we’re really voicing, like you need to work on this, or it’ll be better if you went this way, like, working on strategies together really helped us grow closer,” Alyssa said.
Alyssa isn’t the only triplet that thinks playing on the team is helping the three get closer.
“I feel like with soccer with Peyton, it’s helped us work together, and tennis with Alyssa has also helped us communicate better and learn more about each other, like ‘oh Alyssa’s angry, what can I do to help,’” Taylor said.
Since the season has started, the team has been working hard to win games and even started a new school record with the amount of games that the team has won. The record is now 9-3. The team also went to districts, and Alyssa came home with fourth while Taylor received third.
“It’s going good. Currently our girls team has the most wins any boys or girls team has ever had. So we’ve broken the school record,” Alyssa said.
Because Peyton was injured before the season began, the team is currently missing a really valuable player. Taylor and Peyton were doubles partners the last two years, and Taylor is adjusting to having a new partner since Peyton can’t play this season.
“Me and Peyton used to be doubles partners freshman year. We were originally hoping to play again together because we worked really well together. But then that threw off that whole plan,” Taylor said.
Peyton is mentally ready to get back on the court, but she isn’t getting better just yet.
I just love playing tennis. Tennis is just fun. — Taylor Birkenmeyer
“It didn’t affect how I played tennis last year, because the pain didn’t start until after the season was over. But obviously it’s affected this year,” Peyton stated. “But I’ve noticed that during practice, like, I can’t do as many things as I used to be able to do or like, even move as fast. Yeah, it’s a change.”
Even Alyssa is feeling the effects of Peyton’s injury. While she didn’t play with Peyton, she still misses her sister being on the team.
“Well, I never got the chance to play with Peyton. But I do like having her. I really miss having her on the court,” Alyssa said, “And like watching her play her games, we will always want to watch Peyton, because she could hit these surprise angles and really throw the opponent’s for a loop and you could just see their faces. They like scrambled around to get the ball.”
The girls tennis team is fairly small, but that only encourages the girls to work harder. It also helps the girls understand each other better and it makes the team feel closer to each other.
“I love that the whole team, we really all feel close, like we stand up for each other, and we feel more like a family, it’s just a really close environment. We don’t have a really big team, so we’re always lifting each other, and it’s like a sisterhood almost.” Alyssa stated.
Either way, the triplets have ended their third season and now wait excitedly for their fourth and final season to begin next fall. The three girls love playing on the team, and are hopeful for another great season.
“I just love playing tennis,” Taylor said. “Tennis is just fun.”
