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05/13/2021 12:00 AMPaige Van Ostenbridge has been a staple of the Hand girls’ tennis program throughout the past four years. A senior captain, Paige is sporting a record of 10-1 while playing No. 2 doubles for the Tigers this spring.
Paige is once again teaming up with junior Bella Vejar at the No. 2 doubles position in the 2021 spring season. Paige feels happy to be contributing for a Hand club that has a record of 10-1, especially after she saw the 2020 campaign get canceled.
“My expectation for the season is to just have fun and do our best at every match. I am super excited and grateful to have a mostly normal season,” Paige says. “I have not been too worried about COVID throughout this season, because I feel as though everyone on our team has been very responsible about it, and we have regulations set in place, such as mask wearing while we aren’t playing and a seating chart on the bus.”
Paige got started in tennis when she was seven years old while growing up in a family that enjoys playing the sport. Once she started playing doubles for the Tigers, Paige grew to love the game even more. Paige has a career record of 29-5 for her high school career thus far.
“I love the team aspect of the sport,” says Paige. “I feel a lot of support from my whole team, and I love having a doubles partner on the court with me.”
Paige and Vejar earned All-State honors for their performance at No. 2 doubles in the 2019 season. The duo helped Hand win an SCC title and also claim the Class M state championship on the Tigers’ way to a 24-0 record. Hand’s 5-2 win over Amity in the SCC final clinched the squad’s third-straight conference crown.
“My favorite moment as a player was when my team won SCCs my sophomore year,” Paige says. “It was a pretty close match, but everyone worked really hard, and it was amazing to win as a team.”
Paige was disappointed that she missed out her junior season of tennis as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Paige believes that the time the Tigers spent away from the court only made the squad that much stronger.
“We definitely lost out on some team bonding and lots of opportunity to improve last year,” says Paige. “But I think it just gave our team more motivation to work extra hard to make up for our lost season.”
Head Coach Kitty Palmer feels pleased with how Paige and Vejar are performing at the No. 2 doubles spot this spring. Palmer describes Paige as a solid leader who brings a pleasant disposition to the court.
“Paige and Bella are 10-1 this year with their only loss being a close match against Amity,” Palmer says. “Paige is a quiet leader who is a very steady and consistent player. She sets up her partner Bella at the net with her deep ground strokes and lobs. She is very calm outwardly and has improved this year with work on her volleys. Everyone loves Paige and how happy she is.”
In turn, Paige gives plenty of credit to Coach Palmer for fostering her development as a tennis player. Paige says that Palmer pushes her athletes to be their best, and she believes that approach works to the Tigers’ benefit.
“To improve my game, I work hard during practice, especially in the areas that I need more improvement on. I also do my best to avoid getting nervous during a match, so I can stay fully focused,” says Paige. “Kitty is a tough coach, and I was a little nervous coming onto the team freshman year, but she truly creates the best relationships with all of the players. She is so dedicated to the sport, and I could not imagine having a better coach.”
Aside from tennis, Paige enjoys going out to eat with her friends, working at her job at a daycare in Madison, and babysitting when she gets the opportunity. A high honors student at Hand, Paige is looking forward to heading off to college in South Carolina after she graduates from high school.
“I will be attending Furman University next year,” Paige says. “I am undecided on what I will be majoring in, but I hope to continue to work with kids.”