We're gearing up for the 2014 Tennis On Campus Fall Invitational, and will be shining the spotlight on participating teams. We'll kick off with a team who has participated in almost all of them & even won the sportsmanship award a couple years back: The University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill.
Q: What did you do over the summer to keep in shape?
A: A lot of our players taught tennis over the summer. One of our players, Matt Evans, taught at Hilton Head Beach & Tennis.
Q: What is your team looking forward to most in attending the 2014 USTA Tennis On Campus Fall Invitational?
A: We are so excited about bringing more members on the team than just the ten who will be competing. We are eager to bond with our new team members to hang out with other teams in our
Section.
Q: How does your team unwind after a day of matches?
A: At Hilton Head Island, we unwind with some flag football on the beach. Our team loves to play other sports, which is what we often resort to with limited court space in the winter months.
Q: How does your team exhibit school spirit?
A: We cheer hard and are always supportive of each other – win or lose. Shout out to Yuri Karev, sophomore from Ohio, who has brought our team cheering to a whole new level! He is always in the running for being the loudest team cheerleader at every tournament we attend.
Q: Did any members of your team play on the same high school tennis team or play against each other in high school?
A: Yes - our President (Melissa) and Vice-President (Roxanne) played each other in rival high schools in Greensboro, NC. They were not friends at the time and actually feared playing each other. Now, they are housemates! Additionally, two of our sophomore superstars (Evan and Jean-Claude) played against each other at rival high schools in Asheville, NC, now they are doubles partners!
Q: How does your team give back to the local community?
A: Our big event is a charity tennis tournament in the Spring, called Game Set Benefit for the Ronald McDonald House of Chapel Hill. We also take part in a program called PLAY, which allows us to organize 1-2 hours of play at a local elementary or middle school. Last year we played Quidditch.
Q: How do you find new recruits?
A: FallFest – a huge celebration at the beginning of the year that showcases all of the University’s student organizations; UNC's Sport Club publicity; and word of mouth referrals.
Q: What’s the one thing you’d want to share with people about your team?
A: I want people to know how much chemistry we have. We have so much fun together at tournaments.