Holliston June 2016

Page 26 Local Town Pages www.hollistontownnews.com June 2016
Sports
Holliston Tennis Benefits from
Jana Paecht’s Athletic Prowess
By Christopher Tremblay
Three-sport athlete Jana
Paecht enjoys playing tennis for
Holliston, but it’s not what she
considers her best sport. In addition
to tennis, the Holliston senior
also partakes in soccer and
indoor track; as a striker for the
soccer team, she excels and she
will take her talent into college
this fall. However, soccer season
is in the past, and tennis is now.
Paecht has been a member of
the Panther varsity tennis team
since her freshman campaign
when her parents urged her to go
for it. She originally found herself
as an exhibition player, but
midway through her first season
with the team, she was moved
into the starting rotation playing
second doubles.
“I was a little nervous once I
got into my first doubles match,
but my partner, senior Juliana
Van Pelt, calmed me down and
helped me get through it,” she
said.
During her sophomore and
junior years, Paecht moved out
of doubles and began playing
singles for the Panthers. While it
was an entirely different aspect
of the game, it was one that she
enjoyed.
“I wanted to try out playing
singles,” the senior said. “I felt
that I was better suited for it.
When you’re playing singles, everything
is on you; if you make
a mistake it’s your fault no one
else’s. It definitely challenged
me.”
Holding down the second singles
position for Holliston over
the past two year, Paecht found
herself as the team’s top tennis
player when the season opened
this spring. The senior considered
herself a middle of the pack
player who could hold her own
but felt she was nothing special.
However, her coach disagrees.
“After playing second singles
for us last year Jana has rightfully
earned the spot to play number
one this year,” Holliston Coach
Jamie Murphy said. “She’s adjusting
to the spot as there is a
huge difference going from 2 to
1 and she knows she’s going to
lose at times.”
The Panther tri-captain currently
has herself a winning record,
but she has seen her fair
share of top notch athletes in the
first singles position.
“The change from second
to first singles has been a challenge.
I’m facing girls who pretty
much play tennis year round and
I don’t,” she said. “I have improved
my game this year, but
it’s tough going up against these
girls. I’m not letting it bother me;
it’s my senior year, and I have
nothing to lose.”
Paecht considers her backhand
and forehand to be equally
as strong, but believes it is her net
play that is her true strength on
the court.
“I consider myself to be quick
on my feet, which leads me to a
strong net play,” the senior said.
“When I have the chance to go to
the net I do; the net has become
my friend.”
Coach Murphy agrees with
Peach’s assessment
“She is a very competitive individual
on the court, and I like
that side of her” the Coach said.
“She’s a natural athlete, and if
she can attack the net, she will.
She’s not one for those long baseline
rallies because the longer it
goes the more likely she is to
make a mistake.”
As the season goes on, Paecht
is just looking to have fun, winning
is important, but it’s not the
end of the world if she loses.
“My goal is to go out there
and do the best that I can while
having fun,” She said. “Tennis
can be stressful, so I’m just going
out there and leaving it all on the
court. This is my senior year, and
I want to remember what a good
time I had.”
Win or lose Paecht is giving it
everything she has while on the
court, hoping to help her team,
but while doing so she’s enjoying
herself as this will probably
be the last time she plays tennis
competitively.
Senior Jana Paecht is giving it all to the tennis court in her final season, worry free.