FALL SPORTS PREVIEW: Spring Creek girls' tennis

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on August 17, 2017 6:00 AM

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By JUSTIN HAYES

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SEVEN SPRINGS -- Fundamentals are so last year.

Well, not quite, but Spring Creek varsity girls' tennis coach Donna Haggerty should enjoy the luxury of spending less time on form this fall, and quite a bit more on functionality.

Call it tennis 2.0 at "The Swamp."

A season ago, with new faces dotting the SC lineup, the third-year coach put her troupe through the many rigors of skill-building -- a practice that allowed the team to be competitive as it was developing fundamentally.

Like clockwork, the players focused on grip, return of serve and engineering proper groundstrokes. The regimen, which experienced ups and downs, ultimately led SC to a .500 mark overall and, beyond that, built excitement for the road ahead -- which, according to Haggerty, the team has prepped for nearly injury-free.

"We always keep in touch with each other over the summer, and luckily, nobody's gotten hurt," the coach said. "One player is having some back issues, and is trying to work though that... but everybody else has stayed healthy."

Specifically Haggerty's top six, which she anticipates will be composed of Daeja Hutcherson, Ivy Rouse, Savannah Willis, Vanessa Southerland, Kristin Alphin and daughter Amanda -- who put in quite a bit of individual work this summer.

Twice a week over the last three months, the sophomore visited the University of Mount Olive campus, where she absorbed instruction from Trojan head coach Kevin Coghill -- a practice that is already exhibiting dividends.

"I'm really seeing her game change," the coach noted. "It's not so much about fundamentals... (but) being able to place the ball, getting more power, and working on a kick-serve -- more advanced stuff, for sure."

And that is exactly what the Lady Gators will need this fall, as they embark on life in the newfangled East Central 2-A conference -- whose tennis acumen is, in large part, a mystery. Not that Haggerty and Co. -- who will also bring freshmen Natalie Slye and Tiffany Taylor into the program's fold -- will be paying much attention to what their opponents are doing, however.

"They're excited about the change, but at the same time, they're a little nervous," Haggerty said. "My thinking is, we're going through this change... and it's almost like, I think we need to focus on ourselves, and not worry so much about everybody else."

Which they will do, assuredly, with greater experience.