RHS Girl’s Tennis Sets Its Sights on Another Palomar League Championship
With a seasoned lineup and championship experience, the RHS girls’ tennis team is back on the court chasing another Palomar League title.
The Ramona High School Girl’s Tennis team has built a tradition of success, and this season the Bulldogs are hoping to add another championship banner to the program.
Coach Troy Romero is in his 11th year coaching RHS tennis and is entering the 2026 season with 12 varsity players and 10 junior varsity players. The varsity team includes six seniors, several of whom have been playing together for all four years of high school. That experience and familiarity with one another may be one of the team's biggest strengths.
The Bulldogs won the Palomar League championship in 2022, 2023 and 2024. Last season, the team did not repeat as league champion after graduating seven seniors and facing two Division 1 programs, San Dieguito and San Creek, in the league.
This season brings a different lineup. Only two varsity players graduated, while San Dieguito and San Creek have moved back into a Division 1 league.
With many of the players who helped build the team's recent success returning, the Bulldogs are setting their sights on reclaiming the Palomar League championship.
“We want to win the Palomar League,” Romero said.
The players also have their eyes on CIF competition. Last year, three Ramona players advanced to CIF, and the team hopes to make another run this season.
For the girls, however, the goals extend beyond wins and championships. Romero said the number one goal is for the players to continue getting better, learn the game and develop life skills through tennis.
The commitment these athletes make to the sport is substantial. The girls practice Monday, Wednesday and Friday at Rivera Oaks Resort & Racquet Club from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. Matches are generally held Tuesday and Thursday, with players on the court from approximately 2:45 p.m. until 6:30 p.m. Tournament travel adds additional hours.
Altogether, the players can spend more than 25 hours a week involved with tennis when practices, matches, tournaments and driving time are included. The season runs from July 31 through the first week of November.
Romero knows a thing or two about making a long-term commitment to young athletes. Before coaching RHS tennis, he coached basketball at OPMS and with the Ramona Boys and Girls Club for 15 years. He originally began coaching for his own five children and continued because he enjoyed coaching and working with young people.
This year, the RHS Girl’s Varsity Tennis team is also getting a unique opportunity to share its story. The RHS multimedia class selected the tennis team as the subject of a mini Netflix-style documentary. Students have spent the past month filming the team, interviewing Romero and the team captains, and photographing the players. For a team that frequently plays away from the high school campus, the project is a chance to bring more attention to the athletes and the work they put into their sport.
Romero said the girls deserve to be recognized not only for their tennis accomplishments, but also for everything they do away from the court. Many of the varsity players are involved in other activities and excel academically.
The six seniors have spent years building friendships, developing their games and learning how to compete together. Now they have one more season to build on the program's championship tradition.
For these Bulldogs, the 2026 season is about more than simply winning matches. It's about representing the players who came before them, continuing to grow together and seeing how far their hard work can take them. When the season reaches its final weeks, the Bulldogs hope they'll have another Palomar League championship and perhaps another trip to CIF to show for it.
Photos by Tiffany Pressler
