Player Profile: Stephanie Shulman
The girls’ tennis team is off to a strong start this year, with the team winning four out of their first five contests of the season. According to the team’s twitter page, Hawken Girls Tennis (@QueensODaCourt), the Hawks recently won the Western Reserve Academy doubles tournament. This win was in no small part due to the efforts of Stephanie Shulman and her doubles partner, Molly Xiao. Stephanie is a senior who played on the boys’ tennis team last spring, and recently committed to continue her tennis career next year at Emory University. When asked about the difference between boys’ tennis and girls’ tennis, Stephanie answered, “It’s really fun being on the guys’ team. The rules are the same for boys and girls, so there isn’t much of a difference. Boys aren’t allowed to play on the girls’ team, but as long as I don’t play on the girls’ team the same school year that I play on the boys’ team it’s fine”. This year, she opted to play in the fall, hoping for a shot at both an individual and a team state tournament run. Molly, Stephanie’s doubles partner, says that “Stephanie is such a good tennis player; she plays with such skill and confidence. Whenever I made mistakes during the match, she was always really patient with me.” I asked Stephanie some questions about this season and the next step of her career playing in college at Emory.
Adele: Congrats on committing to play tennis at Emory! What are you looking forward to most about playing at the next level in college?
Stephanie: Thanks! I guess I’m looking forward most to just getting to travel a lot with the team.
Adele: Do you have any goals for your last year of tennis at Hawken?
Stephanie: I guess my goal would be to try to get to States.
Adele: What’s your favorite part of playing tennis at Hawken?
Stephanie: I love the team, everyone is so nice and supportive.
Adele: What’s your advice for Hawken tennis players (or other athletes) who want to play their sport in college?
Stephanie: Just never give up. As long as you work hard and always push yourself, you’re bound to succeed.
Adele: Do you have any pre-match rituals?
Stephanie: Haha, no, not really
Adele: What are your favorite songs to listen to before matches?
Stephanie: I don’t really listen to music before matches, but I guess just like whatever playlist I’m currently listening to at the time.
Stephanie and the girls’ tennis team have a great season ahead of them, with many possibilities for individual state qualifiers like Stephanie or even a team state qualification. The team has some exciting matches and tournaments in the next few weeks, including important conference matches like Beachwood on September 5th at Hawken, Perry on September 12th, and Orange on September 17th at Hawken. The Hawken Tennis Tournament is also coming up at Hawken on Saturday, September 8, so make sure to come out and support Stephanie and the rest of the Hawken girls’ tennis team! Go Stephanie, and go Hawks tennis!