Groton has a long tradition of extremely strong boys tennis and competes in the Independent School League, arguably the strongest league in New England. Since the early sixties, Groton has had only three head coaches: Richard “Doc” Irons, who coached tennis in the sixties and seventies and for whom the ISL championship trophy is named; David Bannard, who was head coach in the seventies and early eighties; and now John Conner, who has been head coach since 1981.
The squad is often in the hunt for top honors in the league. Blessed with ten outdoor courts and eight indoor courts, Groton's facilities are among the best around. Working hard, setting high goals, and exhibiting the finest sportsmanship are trademarks of the Groton School tennis experience.
Groton has won two ISL championships in recent years. Their dual match record the past two seasons was 34-1. Over the past six years (two of which were cut short by COVID), Groton's record was 76-2. These wins include being undefeated in dual matches against Andover, Exeter and Deerfield. Groton was also the #1 seed in the New England Class ‘A’ Championships three of those seasons, losing narrowly in the finals of that tournament.
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