July 14, 2010
By Michael Jeremiah SEATTLE -- The summer months are the only extended break from the year-round schedule of college tennis. Although they won't don the purple and gold as members of the Washington tennis team in competitive play until the fall, both the coaches and players are working hard to make the program stronger for years to come. Perhaps the hardest opponent to fight during the summer months is complacency. The structure of the season gives way to a relaxing, unstructured summer, and in some cases, a time-consuming internship or summer job. With the energy it takes to play college tennis at a high level, players need a bit of rest before gearing up for another season, while still working to get better for the upcoming year. "They try to keep their same schedule throughout the year," said assistant coach Damon Coupe. "Obviously they may give their body a rest. It's up to them. They need to rest because it is a year-round sport and they need their down time." Number-one player Venise Chan is spending her summer in Beaverton, Ore., at an internship with Nike. Although she is busy learning in the workplace, Chan was able to work on her game by winning the GPTC/Nike Tennis Championships singles title last week. "It was good that she won. She's also doing an internship at Nike and to be able to fit it in was great for her," said coach Jill Hultquist. "I don't think she's been able to play her three hours a day, but she's still practicing every day." "She said she was a little rusty heading into the tournament, but ended up beating [Arizona State's] Kelsey McKenna and [Cal Poly's] Suzie Matzenauer, who had good collegiate years last season. It's great that she's playing and staying sharp for the fall when she will jump right into the All-American Tournament." Other players from the team are also working hard to get ready for next season. Denise Dy continues to rehabilitate a knee injury that hampered her last year, while the coaches praised Samantha Smith for committing to work on her game this summer in preparation for her junior season. While they can't help their current players improve during the summer, Hultquist and Coupe are working towards the future by looking for recruits. Hultquist recently returned from London, where she went to the Junior Wimbledon tournament and both will attend National Hardcourts in San Diego in August. That tournament will feature some of the top teenage players in the nation. "Summer time is different for us," said Hultquist. "Two years ago and last year we weren't as busy, but for 2011 we have four scholarships to fill so we are just hustling a little bit to figure out where we will find more players. This year is busy." Chan is one of the players they will have to replace after this season, but although finding quality players in her mold is always welcome, they have another number one player waiting in the wings in rising junior Dy. Dy was an All-American as a sophomore last season, and finished the year as the 13th-ranked singles player in the nation. "Denise has been playing two, but she is a legitimate number one," said Hultquist. "To be able to replace Venise after next year would be wonderful to remain strong." The thought of replacing anyone from the upcoming senior class is a luxury that they will fill through recruiting this summer, but the ultimate task at hand is improving on the 2009-10 season. "The hope for next year is that we're going to be stronger," said Hultquist. That improvement, as well as for years going forward, will hinge on the work the team puts in away from campus this summer. The team will report back for practice on the first day of school as they begin their quest for a successful 2010-11. |
