Clarkston High School tennis player Colleen Mead has been working hard at the sport her entire life and looks to translate that into a state championship.
“I have been playing since I started walking,” Mead said. “My dad was a tennis player in high school and he introduced me to the sport and I loved it.”
Mead entered her first tennis tournament when she was nine years old and the rest has fallen into place. This is her fourth year on the Wolves varsity team. Mead advanced to the quarterfinals last year and is braced to improve upon that this year.
“I want to win state and I want the team to get there as well,” Mead said. “If the girls believe in themselves we can make it. I definitely believe we have the ability to get there. Everybody on the team works real hard.”
Mead has been working hard on her tennis game for some time. Not only does she practice the game a lot, but the senior also puts in time off the court.
Mead is a regular in the workout room, strengthening muscles that will benefit her game.
“She does so much work off the court. She really pushes herself,” CHS tennis coach Pam Schoemer said. “She is phenomenal to coach. She knows the game inside and out.”
Mead’s game has continued to improve throughout her high school career and now she is trying to give that knowledge to some of the younger players on the team.
“I like to be a leader. I have the most experience on the varsity and I know how everything is run so I try to help the others out,” Mead said.
The leadership quality is one that makes Schoemer’s job a lot easier.
“She is very much a team player. She is always out there cheering on her teammates and that does not always happen with the number one players,” Schoemer said. “She is constantly motivating the other players.”
Mead is also a player in the classroom and maintains a 4.0 grade point average. That combination was the reason Western Michigan University has offered her a full ride scholarship to play tennis.
“I am not sure where I am going to go right now. I am keeping my options open,” Mead said. “I am going to wait until I take my official visits and then see what happens.”
At this time, Mead has her senior season to worry about first. She will be hitting the practice courts and the game courts with equal ferocity.
“She hits the ball as if each ball is for match point. That is the intensity of her game,” Schoemer said.
Just don’t look for her to be playing matches against her dad anymore.
“We don’t play too much anymore because both of us get mad. We are both very competitive,” Mead said.
Colleen is the daughter of Dennis and Eileen. She has three sisters – Denise, Kelly and Molly and a brother, Jim.
“She has incredible parents. They are very supportive and know the game real well,” Schoemer said.