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Clearfield girls tennis team hoping for improvement this season
Friday, August 28, 2009
By Jaclyn Yingling Sports Editor
HYDE - With a new coach and nine letterwinners back, the Clearfield girls tennis team is hoping for some improvement this season.
Former head coach Mike Sciabica retired after last season, leaving Steve Miller to take over the Lady Bisons, who won just one match last year.
But with some talented letterwinners back, Miller feels Clearfield will be able to compete this season in the always tough District 9 League.
"We have a lot of good girls back," he said. "They all have good attitudes that I've seen so far, so that's been really good."
Despite the ups and downs last year, Miller has put together a pretty solid singles lineup that includes four returning letterwinners.
"We are working on it," Miller of the lineup. "We are close. We have one girl who still has her physical to get. It's been delayed. She will be in the mix somewhere, so it is not quite certain yet."
Jenny Miller will be the No. 1 singles player, with Madison Sopic at No. 2 and Kristen McKenzie at No. 3. Suzie Colesar is slated to play in the No. 4 spot, while Rebekah Greenland, who lettered as a sophomore, should be at No. 5.
Miller says Angela Moore, who hasn't practiced because of the delayed physical, could also be in the mix somewhere.
As for the doubles pairings, they are still up in the air.
"Doubles-wise we are still working trying to get the pairings together," said Miller. "We will have to do that in the next couple of days.
"There's only a couple of weeks to get a lineup together, and plus with me being a new coach this year ... Mike (Sciabica) probably would've already had it in his mind where he wanted people."
So far the girls have taken to their new coach, and have seemed to ease into the transition of his leadership.
"Nobody has thrown any apples at me yet," joked Miller. "I know all of the girls, though, because I work at the school. I think everything has been going well. They haven't been complaining or grumbling or that type of thing."
Miller's goals for the Lady Bisons are very simple this year. He wants to see them improve with each match and practice.
"They only won one match last year, so, of course, we would like to win as many matches as possible," he said.
"My goal is to see them improve in their play and for them to have fun. It's always more fun if you win, but if they can improve in their skills and they can enjoy playing, that's the main goal."
With just one sophomore on his squad that features seven seniors and nine juniors, getting some younger players out will be another goal. But that's down the road.
"Hopefully, down the road we can recruit," said Miller. "I went down to the middle school and there were some girls who expressed interest, but when it comes down to it they didn't come out.
"We will just try to recruit more during the school year, and now that I know I will be the tennis coach next year, I can try and encourage the girls to play tennis."
Clearfield opens up at home on Monday against Punxsutawney at 3:30 p.m. Roster
Seniors
Mikella Graham, Rebekah Greenland, *Kristen McKenzie, *Jenny Miller, *Angela Moore, AnneLiese Nachman, *Madison Sopic.
Juniors
*Hillary Buck, Makenzie Ceprish, *Suzie Colesar, *Jenna Cowder, Ashley Durandetta, *Sierra Grice, *Tori Hallstrom, Jessica Roussey, Tori Stone.
Sophomores
Alex Sharp.
*Denotes returning letterwinners.
Schedule
August
31-Punxsutawney.
September
1-St. Marys Area; 2-Elk County Catholic; 8-at DuBois; 10-at Bradford; 14-Brockway; 15-at St. Marys; 17-at Punxstuawney; 22-Johnsonburg; 24-at Elk County Catholic; 29-DuBois.
October
1-Bradford; 6-at District 9 Singles Tournament, TBA; 8-at Brockway; 13-at District 9 Doubles Tournament, TBA; 15-at Johnsonburg.
All matches begin at 3:30 p.m.
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