Over this weekend, four athletes, Hayden Atchley, Chloe Thompson, Harlow Cropper, and Danae Rowe, went to State for tennis. This was an incredible experience for all. Although the outcomes weren’t what the athletes may have wanted, the fight was there.
As the girls going to state all finished top two at regionals, with Hayden and Chloe winning their region, this was a fierce competition for each athlete.
The ladies learned a lot from this experience. “State taught me perseverance even when I’m up against the top ten girls in state and this always gives me an opportunity to play my best and prove I can compete at this high level,” Danae Rowe a senior at Dayspring Christian Academy, who plays for West, stated.
This level of determination continued through the whole team. “With this only being my second year playing, it shows I’m improving and that I can keep going even when I’m down a lot, I can always come back,” Chloe Thompson, a junior, said.
She went on to talk about the friendship she has with her partner, Hayden. “It means a lot to get to play with Hayden, who also has a mindset of always staying positive no matter what the score is,” Thompson added.
The positive energy didn’t stop there as Ryan Pace, head girls tennis coach reminds everyone of who these athletes are, “The four girls we had at state are incredible human beings.”
“We have had our ups and downs this year but I wouldn’t want to go through it with anyone else, all of these girls have learned how to compete, how to become leaders and how to learn from tough situations this year,” he continued.
“I want people to remember that this team fights, we may not have as much talent as previous years, but we are having more post season success because of the character and drive of these young ladies, they truly deserve all the accolades,” Pace ended with.
