Women’s tennis back with a vengeance: Crick leads young team
By Nate Bloomquist
Steve Crick has a lot in common with the players on his tennis team. This year, not only is it his first year of coaching, but it’s also the first year of college-level playing for all of the players on his team.
"It’s quite a learning process," he said. "I’m learning right along with them."
Crick was hired last May as the girls basketball and women’s tennis team coach. Last season, the women’s tennis program was brought to an abrupt halt as only one person went out for the team. The season was cancelled.
This year, there are nine players on the tennis team, all of which are freshmen. According to Crick they all have about the same ability too.
"These girls are just really competitive, from top to bottom there isn’t that much difference. It’s made it really hard to pick seedings."
Crick did just that by having an intra-squad tournament in practice. When the tournament ended, La Salle-Peru High School grad Lindsay Hammers came out on top with the number one seed. Missy Poulakos, from Ottawa took the number two slot. Theresa Marynus, Amanda Pavy, Abby Hyson and Mandi Morse round out the next four seedings. Hammers and Poulakos will be paired at number one doubles; Morse and Lana Welch of Streator will start at No. 2 doubles for the Lady Apaches.
"It’s really promising for us because the number sixth seed could beat the number one seed on any given day," Crick said.
The new coach will have to play against a whole new group of teams as well as IVCC joined the Arrowhead Conference and is part of Division II.
"I just don’t really have any idea what to expect," said Crick who has been coaching girls basketball for 20 years at the college level and has been playing tennis since he was 10 years old. "I think we really have a chance against anyone we play but because I’ve never seen any of these teams yet; I don’t know for sure."
Crick does know that his team will show their best effort.
"They’re just so competitive," he said. "Even if we’re just practicing lightly or just hitting the ball around they all want to go out there and play hard."
The first-year coach said he believes the newly established tuition waivers for tennis is the reason for his team’s willingness to play.
"There’s no question of whether they should show up for practice or anything like that," he said. "They picked up a scholarship for tennis and there’s some pride there. They know what’s expected of them and they do it."