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Friday, 31 August 2007 |
Wapakoneta growing out of younger years
By JOSHUA KEERAN
Sports Editor
Led by six letterwinners, Wapakoneta varsity girls tennis coach Mike Klock likes the way his team is progressing, but he admits the girls have yet to reach their full potential.
“The last couple of years we have been a young team, but this season we got a little more experience under our belt,” he said. “We got some strong-willed girls that work hard at the game.”
Klock, however, thinks his team could benefit from simply playing more tennis year round.
“Tennis is a difficult game to learn. One has to work at it all year long,” he said. “We have three or four girls that do just that, and the other three or four girls need to as well in order to be a complete team.”
In any sport, the best coach is one who gets the most out of his or her players and challenges them to strive for more. Klock is doing his best to challenge his girls to become better at the game of tennis.
“Our singles players tend to only have one weapon, which is they like to hit from the baseline instead of going to the net,” he said. “They need to get more weapons to be effective players and that is coming.”
Returning letterwinners to the Wapakoneta squad include seniors Brea Quellhorst and Ashlee Youngpeters, juniors Heather Wells, Emily Slonecker and Emily Runkle as well as sophomore Ricki Oen.
“Ashley Beach is starting on varsity as a freshman,” Klock said. “She has been a good asset for our team at second doubles. She played tennis before she reached the high school level which really helps.”
Newcomers to the Redskin roster include senior Alyssa Stiger, juniors Kaitlynn Kantner and Kylee Wellons, sophomore Allison Stiger and freshman Ashley Beach.
With several matches already in the books this season, Klock is optimistic about the year, but he knows his team has some work to do in order to be one of the elite programs in the Western Buckeye League.
“I’m pleased with what I’m seeing, but my singles players need to become more consistent,” he said. “They need to hit with the opponent and make them force a mistake which comes with experience. If it takes seven shots to win a point, so be it.
Some of my girls tend to want to end the point after one or two hits.”
As for team goals in 2007, Klock is hoping his squad can improve on its eighth-place finish in the WBL a year ago.
“In the WBL, we would like to finish at least fourth or fifth,” he said. Overall, we would like to be at least .500. If we get to .500, I’d be pleased.”
Klock believes the favorites in the WBL this season are Elida, Shawnee and Celina. |
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Last Updated ( Monday, 03 September 2007 )
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