The Okemos Chieftains girls tennis team finished the 2014 season in 5th place in the state. It will enter the 2015 season with lofty goals, but it seems like it might be able to accomplish those goals.
Emily Struble will play a big part in whether Okemos can claim a team state championship in 2015. The #1 singles player, Struble finished the 2014 season with her first #1 singles championship. In both 2012 and 2013, she won #2 singles championships.
So much work has gone into helping Struble get to where she is now, “I don’t really get an off-season,” she said. “We have USTA when we aren’t playing high school tennis, so I basically play tennis all year.”
One might think that a high school senior would be out having fun, but Struble’s hard work goes a long way toward explaining the success that she has on the tennis court. Having committed to Miami University to play tennis next fall, Emily uses her limited free time to give back. “I volunteer in pediatrics, which allows me to spend time with kids, and that is what I plan to do after college, possibly speech pathology,” she said.
The high school off-season doesn’t give this 3-time state champion much downtime. “We practice more during USTA than we do for school,” said Struble. “We practice about 25-30 hours a week during the fall and winter, so we are as busy now as we are during the school season.”
Even with the spotlight on Struble as the #1 player on the team, she tries not to let the pressure get to her. “Our team has three other players that went deep in the tournament last season, so we are all capable of helping this team win a championship.”