University of Tennessee Athletics
LADY VOL TENNIS DIARIES - SONIA HAHN-PATRICK
February 28, 2007 | Women's Tennis
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Feb. 28, 2007
Another gorgeous day for us to practice outside. We had a late practice today, and it was probably the best practice we have had prior to leaving for a match this season. Caitlin, one of our freshmen, had a Spanish test she had to take before tomorrow, so she practiced early with Mike. It's always amazing to me, even after ten years, to see how Mike interacts with the girls and how he coaches them. In my mind, he is one of the best coaches in the country, if not the best, with technique and I can honestly say that every player he has coached in his twenty years here has left UT a better player if they had the desire to do so. We did a lot of drilling today, trying to have the girls hit lots of balls before we leave. LSU is always a tough team to play because their teams have historically been fighters and grinders and you have to earn every point. I've always favored the courts there, even when I was a player, because they're slow and you have to grind. Our girls are ready to take on the Tigers though! Okay, less than twenty-four hours now until our flight. They're forecasting thunderstorms here. The girls are already laughing because they think it's funny to see their coach so afraid of flying! |
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Feb. 27, 2007
What a beautiful day in Knoxville! The girls had off from practice yesterday, after playing Sunday, and our first day back this week was today. We are kicking off conference play this weekend with LSU and Arkansas, and the way the rules are, if the temperature is above 50 degrees, we'll play outside even if the school has indoor courts. The girls were in a good mood being outside, and we all know the weather will continue to get warmer. Although we've played seven matches thus far, it's still early in the season. We're still figuring out who's playing where in singles and doubles to formulate the best lineup for the season. I'm so lucky. In addition to working hard, all of our girls have a great "team" attitude, and wherever we put them in singles and/or doubles, they want to help and contribute to their team. They've worked so hard on and off the court...doing extra hits on their own, extra workouts in the weight room and even meeting as a team with their mental coach, Dr. Whitney, to be the best team they can be. We talk a lot about having no regrets at the end of the season by working on the things we can control. And as young as this team is, they incorporate that each day when they walk on the court. Okay, I'm done with my entry tonight, but as I end this, I just remembered I'm 48 hours away from flying on a plane. Unfortunately, my one and only fear is flying, so I'll try to focus on something else at the moment! |
