WOMEN'S TENNIS YOUNG SQUAD EXCELS They may be young, but age did not make a difference in the high degree of talent chat permeated the Lady Bison tennis team during the 1999 season. Coach David Elliott had predicted pre-season that the team could poss ibly be the best in Harding's history, and their final statistics proved he could very well be righ t. The nearly all-freshmen team ende.d their 1998-99 season with a 20-3 record, placing them in the top eight teams in the Lone Star Conference and ranking several members among the tOp twenty players in the Midwesr region. "TENNIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT ATHLETICS. IT'S ABOUT THE MIND Too." -HIROKO OKAMOTO, SOPHOMORE versities. The Lone Srar ConFerence is comprised of 17 teams that hail from Ark., N. M., Okla., and Texas. Although the Lady Bisons are relatively new to the Conference, the players are quickly making their mark as a highly-skilled team that can hold their own among the ocher uniThis year, the Lone Scar Conference Championship Tournament was held at Midwestern State University in W ich ita Falls, Texas. The Lady Bisons were ranked in the top eight teams when inclement weather altered the outcome of the tournament. Because of rain, only the top four teams were selected to play for top ranks, thus eliminating the Lady Bisons from the final competition. The Lady Bisons are a considerably young team - seven of the nine players are freshmen. Hiroko Okamoto, sophomore, returns rhe rennis ball to her opponent. She went 16-2 during rhe season to help the Lady Bisons compile a 20-3 record. 184 Athletics They also bring a wide cultural diversity to the team. The team consists of players from Germany, Japan and Mexico, as well as the United States. Hiroko Okamoto, a sophomore from Tokyo, Japan, said this vast mix ofculture is perhaps one of the team's greatest strengths. She said because they come from all over the world and bring a variety of experience, they complement each other well. T hey are a positive influence on each other and as a result, form a unified force that has made them a winn ing team. In addition to athletic skill , the team also has a high academic record. Laura Tollett, freshman, is a National Merit Scholar. Most of the team is on at least partial scholarship and the overall team GPA is over 3.0. Coach Ell iott and Assistant Coach Raymond Kelly have trained and led the team for many years. Elliott has been with the Harding tennis program for 31 years. During his tenure, the team has won every tennis season. As a result, he has gained the respect of his players. Okamoto says Elliott and Kelly take a petsonal interest in the team and in the individual lives of the players. She said their interaction goes beyond the court, extending into the important aspects of life and school as well . "They ask us about howwe are doing personally and about our classes," Okamoto said. "The mind is very important for tenn is. [Tenn is] is nO[ JUSt about athletics. It's about the mind, too." - Rachel Wilson
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==