THE WIZARDS:

The Washington Wizards Basketball team had a rough season in 2009. Between changing coaches, player suspensions and multiple player injuries, the team ended with a 19-63 losing season. This record is one of the worst in the Eastern conference, a clear ebarrassment for the team.
Key player Gilbert Arenas also suffered a major injury that left him unable to play in addition to a few other starters, which had a very negative impact on the team’s performance.

There is question to another injury Arena’s seems to be suffering in his knee, who was unable to play the last few preaseason games.
This year the Wizards are looking for a new beginning. In order to eliminate the bad reputation that has followed the basketball team, steps are being taken in considering a name change to become the Bullets once again. With new owner Ted Leonsis and Monumental Sports now in full control, the team will likely grow into a more successful organization.

Multiple measures have been taken by the Wizards organization to see the change come to life. They began by hiring new Head Coach Flip Saunders and drafting John Wall, who went first overall in the 2010 draft.
The last preseason game was played against the Atlanta Hawks, and the Wizards triumphed in a 107-92 victory.
With only a few games left in the preseason,  fans can look forward to a fresh start for a new organization.

Players to watch: John Wall, Gilbert Arenas

THE KASTLES:

Although they may seem foreign to most ESPN veiwers and sports lovers, the Washington Kastles are the D.C tennis team, which is one of many teams in the W.T.T., or the World Team Tennis pro league.

The 2010 season has recently come to a close; the Kastles ended with an impressive 8-6 record. The Kastles have a strong line up of female dominant players including the famous Williams sisters, Victoria Azarenka, Angela Haynes and Rennae Stubbs.

The two male players are Bobby Reynolds and  Leander Paes. All of these tennis stars play under head coach Murphy Jenson. The team came in a remarkable third place in the Eastern Conference for the 2010 season, coming very close to winning the King Trophy, the first place prize.

The W.T.T. league that the Kastles are a part of consists of co-ed teams and the league focuses on gender equality and the love of the sport. The matches are played with two men and two women on each team, with on-court coaching and regular substitutions.

The W.T.T. was also one of the first professional sports leagues to ‘go green’ in 2008. While the Kastles are not a very well-known team to typical sports fans, the team has been giving an extraordinary performance and will only continue to improve in upcoming seasons.

Players to watch: Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Bobby Reynolds

THE CAPITALS:

After an untimely exit from the race to the Stanley Cup last April, the Washington Capitals have vowed to use their disappointment as motivation until the playoffs roll around once more. With a motto of “stay angry, believe in yourselves,” set by head coach Bruce Boudreau, the Alex Ovechkin-led team hopes to find success in the post season, something they have struggled with in the past. With the addition of six new full-time players, the team started the season on a good foot with a pre-season record of 5-1.

However, the greatest challenge that has haunted the team in the past is the lack of consistency needed to go all the way.

On Oct. 8, the Capitals lost their first regular season game to the Atlanta Hawks by a score of 4-2, a team that sat a distant 19 wins behind in the previous regular season. But the following night, the same Washington team annihilated the New Jersey Devils, 7-2.

Although it is still too early to say that the team, as a unit, has improved, many individuals have shown personal growth over the summer break. Right-wing Eric Fehr, who was slow to start last season due to a double-shoulder surgery, looks stronger than ever and hopes to earn a greater role on the power play.

Goaltender Michal Neuvirth, who was officially brought on as a full-time member of the Capitals over the summer, will likely make a great impact with a .915 save percentage and 2.667 goals against average after the past three games. At only 22 years old, Neuvirth will battle Semeyon Varlamov, also 22, throughout the season, as Boudreau will determine the starter on a game-by-game basis.

With thirteen of its players under the age of 27, the young Capitals have clearly set their sights on NHL victory. Unless the team is plagued by injuries, fans are expecting to see Alex Ovechkin lifting the Cup for the first time in history.

Players to watch: Mike Green , Eric Fehr