The three members of Poughkeepsie High School’s girls tennis team stood in a line holding balls against the net with their rackets. Each took turns following through a practice swing so that the balls carried over the net and onto the other side of the court.

This, coach Shelli Porter explained, was the technique for hitting a backhand.

More than any other team of Pioneers, the girls tennis team started from scratch on the first day of preseason Monday.

The school is fielding a girls tennis team for the first time in three years. On Monday, there were three team members on the court. Porter said two more will likely be cleared to compete soon.

Porter is a first-year coach who got serious about the sport four years ago and the three Monday – all sophomores – have never before played tennis. Basic mechanical instruction was the itinerary for Day One. They acknowledged earning wins will be a challenge. But they also said this season represents an opportunity.

“This is my chance to be a part of something new, something that can leave an impact on people,” Serenity Barcelona said. “Once they see there are people on a team, that inspires people to join. I think that’s really important.”

Porter praised their attitude and willingness to jump in to a new sport, which she called “hard” but also “contagious.”

Of tennis, she said, “It’s not the sort of thing that a lot of students in our community gravitate to. It’s an expensive sport. There’s limited access to the sport. I think, as students of color, they need to have that exposure and see they can achieve it, just like anyone else.”

Yasmin Parker, who previously played volleyball, said playing a sport is not only good for college applications, but “you never know what sport you could be good in.”

She said she likes the movement of tennis, “and hitting the balls. You can take your anger out on the balls.”

Barcelona called tennis “a workout” and admitted to “missing a couple” shots. Still, she said she’s excited to learn the sport from Porter. The season is scheduled to begin on Sept. 7 with a match at Rye. The journey, she said, is more important than the outcome.

“I do appreciate losing,” Barcelona said. “It tells me what I need to focus on and what I need to work on more.”