Tryouts for Fall 2025 varsity consideration begin Monday, August 4 starting at 8am-2pm  Tuesday and Wednesday will be by invite at 4 pm. Sub-varsity tryouts (JV and Freshmen) will take place throughout the first week of school during 8th period and after school 8/11,8/12 and 8/14. Please read below for more details concerning tryouts and dates. Our Fall varsity schedule will be posted at the courts in the bulletin board at the courts and on this page below. 

   There are 2 tennis classes at CTJ. Before school and 1st period is varsity and 8th period/after school is JV/subvarsity INCLUDING FRESHMEN. We typically keep approximately 10 boys and 10 girls in each class so knowledge of strokes, proper grips, topspin/slice and scoring is necessary coming in to tryout. The 8th period sub-varsity class is not an introductory tennis class but a class for a competitive team that is part of a program that is top 25 in the state with a girls doubles team that qualified for the state tournament in May of 2025.

Parent meeting will take place Monday, Aug 4 2025 at 6 pm in the library.

ALL COMMUNICATION / INFORMATION DURING THE SEASON  WILL BE ON SPORTS YOU.  Accomplishments and some announcements will also be posted on X(Twitter)  @ TennisCTJ .  The SPORTSYOU APP will be used throughout the school year for all communication after earning a spot.

Summer 2025 workout dates and times will be posted here as we get closer to June. These workouts will be on Monday evenings throughout the Summer. Our kids train in the mornings throughout the Summer and there are a few options available:

SUMMER CAMP INFO:

blossomtennis.com

NEISD Blossom tennis center offers camps ,USTA tournaments and lessons throughout the Summer

Godwin tennis academy @ SACS school 

(210) 464-7060

San Antonio Tennis academy- Adrian Vadez (tryouts necessary along with a UTR 5 or above.)

     Varsity tryouts begin @ CTJ Thursday 8/4/25 @8 am. There will be multiple matches each day as we have our first tournament that week.Players should be heat-acclimated and prepared to play 2-3 eight-game pro sets each day to establish the top 10- 12 boys and 10-12 girls spots. These tryouts end no later than 2 pm. each day.

We live in South Texas and have to compete in very hot temps for the majority of the Fall season. Incoming participants need to be heat acclimated by playing throughout the Summer. We do not have enough time from the beginning of tryouts to our first match to get the kids ready. This is an expectation of all who have varsity aspirations.

We keep approximately 20 kids in the varsity program. Most of these kids have years of tennis experience, with many competing in tournaments each month along with lessons/clinics and camps. Our team has been ranked #2 6A program in the city the past few years along with maintaining a ranking in the top 25 in the state. A commitment to tennis outside the tennis period has proven to be necessary to have success in this district and region. Each kid is important but we will make decisions that are best for the TEAM.

The varsity expectation is that attendance at morning practice is mandatory each day that practice is scheduled. Teachers do not get here until 8 am for tutoring. Kids need to be warmed up and ready to practice at 7:30 am. Only if there is an appointment or family obligation will practice be missed. Text communication is imperative if a student is running late. Excessive absences from practice do affect participation in matches and tournaments. We have doubles pairings that require each teammate to be in attendance at practice.

All required physical paperwork must be submitted for participation. These high school physical forms can be found on neisd.net. Click on athletics and then the parent page. There is a link to the required athlete forms. There is an online participation form to be completed by the student and a parent. The physical needs to be completed by a doctor and the medical history is completed by a parent.

A parent meeting will take place at school on Thursday Aug 4  2025, at 6 pm in the library to answer any questions and go over details for the year.

 The Fall season is primarily a varsity season with only a few JV events. The Fall season ends in mid October with the Spring Individual season for both Varsity and JV beginning in January.

JV and Freshman tryouts will take place during the first week of school. The main JV/freshman season takes place throughout the Spring semester. Again, all required paperwork must be completed and submitted to tryout, practice and participate. The JV / freshman team is competitive and we keep about 20 kids. This is not an intro to tennis class or intended to take the place of a p.e.credit. Objective measurements of skills (grips, spin, rallying) will take place. The same NEISD physical paperwork mentioned above is required to tryout. This is a non negotiable.

In the Spring, for varsity and JV events, there are 4 singles spots and 12 doubles/mixed doubles spots. In April there is a district tournament that gives the kids an opportunity to earn a spot in regionals and the state tournament.

In the past 10 years we have had an individual state champion in girls singles (Chuyang Guan) as well as 3 state qualifiers. (top 8 players in the state.

The athletic periods are not intended to be an introduction to tennis or a substitution for a pe credit. We make every attempt to have kids participate in other activities at school but sometimes difficult choices have to be made if schedules overlap.

Each year we have had multiple summa cum laude graduates in our program, proving it is possible to maintain a varsity tennis commitment while budgeting appropriate time to academic pursuits. One of the main pillars in our program is to teach accountability and responsibility. Good grades are an expectation and are required for participation in the tennis program at Johnson. 

   There is precedent that participation in supplemental tennis training and USTA/UTR tournaments is necessary to have success in our district and our region. 

Please email me at kbice@neisd.net or text me at (210) 632-8176 if you need help finding local tennis lessons and camps. Blossom tennis center has half and full day camps all summer. They also offer 30 minute and 1 hour private lessons to get ready for tryouts. Basic strokes with the right grips and spins are expected to make the JV/freshman team.You can find out more info on blossomtennis.com (210) 491-6108.

Please have all required forms completed and submitted before tryouts.

Go Jags!

FALL 2025 Schedule (tentative)

Mon 8/4   Varsity Tryouts 8 am - 2 pm / Parent meeting 6 pm in library

Tues 8/5 Varsity Tryouts 4 pm

Wed 8/6 Varsity tryouts for those selected 4 pm

Thursday 8/7 Varsity match @ Heights 9 am

Fri 8/8 Varsity practice 4 pm

Monday 8/11 (First Day of School) Varsity  7:30 am/ JV tryouts after school

Tuesday 8/12  Varsity 7:30 am / JV tryouts after school

Wed 8/13  Varsity practice at 8 am / match @ Pieper 4 pm

Fri 8/15 vs Brandeis 4:30 BAC

Fri 8/22 vs Roosevelt 4:30  @ BAC

Wed 8/27 vs Reagan 4:30 @ BAC

Wed 9/3 vs Madison 4:30 @ BAC

Fri Sept 11 vs Lee 4:30  @ BAC

Wed 9/17 vs Churchill 4:30@ BAC

Thursday 9/25 Clark 4:30 @  ATC or NTC

More details to come about playoffs/events

Fall 2024 Varsity tennis schedule

Thurs Aug 1 Varsity tryouts begin at 8 am

Thursday 8/1 -  Parent meetng at 6 pm in the library

Wednesday 8/7 -  @ Wimberley 10 am

Thursday 8/8 - vs Pieper @ CTJ 4:30 pm

Thursday 8/15 vs Brandeis @ Anne Marie tennis center 4:30 pm 

Friday 8/23 vs Roosevelt @ BAC 4:30 pm

Thursday 8/29 vs Reagan @ BAC 4:30 pm

Friday 9/6 vs Madison @ BAC  4:30 pm

Friday 9/13 vs LEE @ BAC  4:30 pm

Wed 9/18  vs Churchill @ BAC  4:30 pm

Tuesday 9/24 vs Clark @ BAC  4:30 pm

Playoffs begin Mon 10/7 with bi district playoff round

https://youtu.be/C82RYOSzZZ4

Coach Bice Greenback Night Special Education co teacher video

My Background info:

I am the Head Tennis coach at Johnson High School and I teach Special Education in the History department. This is my 13th year at the best High School in San Antonio. I have coached tennis at the academy, country club, high school & college level for 30 years. I am originally from Maryland and played NCAA Division I College Tennis at Towson University in Baltimore.