By By Ryan Parker
Well, it’s September again and that means it’s the beginning of the tennis season. Like most, you probably thought tennis was only a Spring sport. Its eight month season, however, makes it one of the most unique and physically demanding collegiate sports.
Just ask the University of Louisville women’s team. After a hard-fought season last year, they failed to finish in the top five in the Conference USA tournament. Injuries played a large role in this. Yet, with the recently refurbished courts at the Bass-Rudd Tennis Center, the team is looking forward to improved play and safety. Women’s head coach Meg Peavy is excited about the new playing surface. “The new DecoTurf really makes this one of the finest tennis facilities in the country.”
Peavy and the Cards are also excited about the upcoming challenges this season. Although the team is slightly shorthanded with only five players on the roster, they are a closely-knit group. “We’ll definitely all stick together more this season,” team captain Melisa San Martin said. The current members are all returning from last year and hope to build upon the camaraderie they developed last season.
The team also hopes to crack the top five in the conference as well, but they are always mindful that every part of the season counts towards their success, including the Fall tournaments and dual matches. With the addition of assistant coach Mark Beckham, who has been with the men’s team here at U of L for several years, the women have improved over the off season through weight training and hard work. But most important is their positive attitude and teamwork. As San Martin said, “Teamwork is huge for us and we all need to work with each other even more this year.”
Besides work on the court, the team has many other responsibilities as student athletes, including work in the school and community. Last year the team won the ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) All American Award for its outstanding academics, with a combined 3.4 GPA. “The girls definitely know where their priorities are,” Peavy said. “They’re always mindful of splitting time between tennis and school, as well as taking time to give something back, especially Kelly Kiehna, who is our team representative for community work.” This weekend, the women are working at the zoo with some local children.
All the pieces appear to be in place for a fun and exciting season for the U of L women. The accelerated workouts, improved weight training and facilities, and sheer effort of the team are promising for this year. Teamwork will become an even more important factor in January when the squad’s three new recruits become eligible for play. U of L’s season begins next week with dual matches in Evansville.
