by Dave DeMars
news@thenewsleaders.com
Evert, Navaratilova, the Williams girls, Steffi Graf – these women dominated professional women’s tennis. The girls on the Sartell Girls Tennis team would like to dominate the Central Lakes Conference this year, but it’s going to be a challenge, said coach Bryan Baumann.
Why?
“We have only one returning senior from last year’s team,” Baumann said. “That experience makes a difference.”
Experience is nice, Baumann will tell you, but it doesn’t mean the team needs to sit back until they get some. Other things are just as important.
“I think perseverance, a willingness to practice and just plain grittiness are key in playing tennis,” said Baumann said. “And patience. You have to think about how you are playing and make adjustments.”
Along with that, Baumann said it helps to have physicality. Strength is important on the serve and on returns. Leg strength to get from one side of the court to the other quickly is also important. And finally, endurance.
Sometimes volleys can last for what seems like forever. Put two or three volleys like that together back to back and more than likely the winner is going to be the person who has the endurance to move quickly on the court. That is where the perseverance comes in. That is where the grittiness comes into play.
It’s that ability not to give in, but to keep on playing and stroke that ball well one time more than your opponent that will help.
“We had a summer camp and a lot of these girls were there,” Baumann said. “I think we will do OK.”
Baumann said he thinks the Sartell girls have got the kind of grittiness needed to compete. It’s that kind of grittiness that might allow a relatively young and aggressive team to have a good season.
Sophomore Taylor Carriere works on her two-hand forehand during tennis practice at Sartell High School.
Sophomore Kiley Rodamel (at left) and freshman Sydney Cline practice footwork on the court because being in the right position to make a shot will help a player make the shot even if her mechanics are flawed.
Junior Madeline Goetz demonstrates a position tennis players do not want to find themselves in. It’s called “the pretzel” and happens most often when an opponent makes a shot that is so good it ties you up in knots that look like a pretzel.
Senior Grace McCabe shows how getting to the ball a little late can affect the form. Tennis is a game that requires the player to move quickly, to get in a position that allows for maximum control of the racquet, and the body. The control starts in the feet and that allows the player to control all other aspects of her game.
Senior Grace McCabe gets ready to return a serve. Ideally the racquet should meet the ball squarely. Her feet should be in a position to maintain balance, allowing her to drive the ball over the net into the opponent’s court.
Sophomore Elizabeth (Libby) Crandall plays a shot that hit the corner with a one-hand front passing shot.
Junior Katlyn Carlock signals a serve was wide. Score 15-Love.
