Young roster and a new coach for Whitefish boys tennis

The Whitefish High School boys tennis team has been reloaded with fresh faces eager to adapt to the team’s needs this season.  

The broad roster is relatively young. There’s 25 total players and three seniors across varsity and junior varsity — Walt Seigmund, Logan Bingham and David Walz. 

Last year the boys team captured the divisional title and sent five individuals to state, four of whom graduated.   

Returning juniors Jack Oehlerich and Owen Erickson will look to be a one-two punch in singles.  

Seigmund and junior Aaron Anderson look to be a dynamic duo in doubles. Junior Cole Moses also will play doubles but his partner has yet to be decided.  

Other major players for the varsity squad include junior Bjorn Bungener, sophomore Jack Flint and freshman Marcus Mercer, Jake Shors and Charlie Oehlerich.  

“They bring a lot of new energy and potential and are willing to play what the team needs in terms of singles and doubles,” said Doris Puglisi, head coach.  

It’s a team that is “healthily balanced. Everyone plays a role. I like it that way because when needed, someone is able to step up and say ‘I got this,’” Puglisi said.  

As for who steps up for doubles, Puglisi hopes that they have “good chemistry” and “share responsibility.”  

It’s always an end goal to qualify players for state, but Puglisi keeps an open mind. 

“We’ll be in there with bigger schools, but in tennis anything can happen. And sometimes the unexpected happens, in a positive or negative way.” 

I’VE GOT THIS is an attitude Puglisi embodies as her first year as head coach for Whitefish. 

It may be her first season as head coach here, but it’s an understatement to say she’s a seasoned professional in coaching and playing the game.  

Puglisi said she played “very intensely” in Germany growing up before stopping cold.  

“I couldn’t breathe, you know?” she said.  

Later in life she was teaching P.E. in Pasadena, California when students approached and asked for help on the courts. From there she said she took “baby steps back into the game.”  

“I love it, I love the game - I’m glad I’ve found my way back,” she said.  

Puglisi said she moved a lot with her miliary husband, making teaching difficult.  

“I would get ripped out of the system every couple of years, so it seemed at the time that being a tennis pro would be less painful to say goodbye than teaching,” she said.  

So Puglisi returned to Germany and received professional tennis certifications, working with clubs and academies for several years. She then retired, returned to the states and moved to Whitefish, not knowing if there was anything of tennis here.  

It was about this time that she was playing with a friend on the courts when Pat Dryden, girls tennis coach, approached her and said, ‘Hey, you look like you know what you’re doing, want to help out,’?” Puglisi said. And she said, “’When can I start?’” 

That was four years ago and Puglisi’s been an assistant coach ever since.  

This year previous head coach Chris Schwaderer was looking to take a step back with a busy spring as his son finishes out his senior baseball season.  

So the two traded hats, with Puglisi as head coach and Schwaderer as the assistant. 

With their guidance, the team may have a good run.  

“The team looks strong,” Puglisi added. “They have done the necessary work to have a competitive season and we are looking forward to where it will lead us.” 

    Chris Schwaderer and Doris Puglisi play against high schoolers during practice at Grouse on Monday. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)