In August 2025, Anthony Castelline, the athletic director at Frank Black Middle School (FBMS), reached out to local tennis enthusiasts to discuss the possibility of starting a school tennis team. Under the leadership of Agustina Rastelli Wojceki, Carrie Brawly, and Yarnera Dudley, a tennis booster club was established to organize FBMS's inaugural tennis program. Eight months later, the school's competitive team achieved a de facto district championship.
On April 18, 2026, the FBMS team faced off against the larger Lanier Middle School team at Memorial Park in Houston, Texas. The undefeated teams battled through nineteen matches, with FBMS emerging as the winner. The decisive victory was led by the boys' doubles team of Oliver Barrera and Ethan Brawly, who won three thrilling matches, leading the FBMS team to an overall victory of 10-9.
When asked about their success, Barrera revealed that their doubles victories resulted from strategies and tactics refined throughout the season during 7 am practices. Barrera's accurate serving positioned Brawley for numerous put-away volleys.
As the players, parents, and coaches celebrated the district championship, Wojceki reflected on the various accomplishments of the tennis program during 2025-2026.
"We envisioned today’s victory many months ago, but we understood that we needed the tennis community to partner with FBMS in order to establish a strong program in the fall of 2025. With over thirty students joining either the competitive or development teams, our before-school and weekend practices laid the foundation for today’s victory."
"A notable memory is that when the team resumed practices in January 2026, the cold morning sessions required plenty of hot chocolate to motivate the students," added Wojecki.
With that enthusiasm, Coach Samintra Charles helped refine the team's challenge matches and line-ups, especially for doubles, ultimately leading FBMS to win the championship.
As the competitive team’s season came to a successful ending, the development squad continues its 7 AM practices through mid-May 2026. These aspiring players have experienced firsthand the effort needed to bring championships home to FBMS in 2027.
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