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08/13/2024 11:23 AMTennis can bring forth a lot of changes of fortune in a split second instant. One must keep a steady and hard-working mind ready to move on a swivel. For Riley Russell, she experienced that head-on and made the most of an opportunity that spontaneously presented itself.
Riley grew up playing tennis for fun at age 4 before trying several other sports growing up. Around sixth grade, she came back to the court via clinics and later private lessons. As a freshman in 2024 for the Warriors, she fought her way through the team’s round robin to be the alternate for No. 4 singles and later earned a starting nod. She was part of a Valley Regional girls’ tennis squad that went all the way to the Class S State Tournament finals with a solid 15-3 overall mark, as she accumulated a personal mark of 13-3 and took home the Most Improved Player Award.
“I love the game of tennis, and the players I play with radiate so much positivity,” says Riley. “Our starter for No. 4 singles could not play this year, so I became the starter. It was scary at first, but my teammates helped me grow as a player and person. With [Head Coach Sage Novak], she could always tell what I needed, and I was able to refocus for her after we would have a talk during a match. I liked the freedom of playing singles. But you really have to focus on yourself as your own individual player. It can also be a lot of pressure and challenging when your match is the last one to finish, and the outcome of the match for the team falls on you.”
There is also a message between the ears that must get out loud and clear for Riley to thrive on the court. She notes that it comes to having a more active mentality rather than a passive-aggressive one. It is about looking to prevail rather than simply preventing miscues and defeats.
“The mental game for someone is a big part of tennis,” Riley says. “I learned that if you tell yourself to play to try to not lose, then you are not going to be able to use what you learned in practice. Yet if you put it in your head you are trying to play to win, you will be able to. It all comes down to a positive mindset.”
Speed and velocity have been at the forefront of Riley’s biggest assets as a tennis player. While working year-round, she is looking to bring the velocity in a balanced and more well-rounded setting. She explains she does not know where her next court assignment will bring her, though as long as she can develop her finesse game, she will be prepared for it.
“I am always working towards more power as a player,” says Riley. “I am working more in the offseason on my power and using it with both my forehand and my backhand. Regardless of if I play singles or doubles moving forward, working on volleys will be something that is helpful, so I am always working on those.”
Relaying messages through the club was something that truly sparked the Warriors to quite a journey that netted them a runner-up spot in states. Riley explains that they helped make her personal odyssey through a nerve-racking but prominent freshman foray an enjoyable one.
“I feel like our team this year was really made by our communication, especially by the captains and the singles’ players ahead of me,” says Riley. “They all gave off so much positivity through their communication. Without their communication and encouragement and positivity, we would not have been as successful or gone as far as we did this season.”
Novak explains that Riley had the physical attributes, along with the mental temerity and composure, to come up big in the clutch.
“As a freshman, it can be a bit overwhelming to jump into a starting spot in the lineup, but Riley worked hard and showed up to practice ready to improve her game. She didn't hesitate going up against more experienced players at practice because she knew it would only help to improve her own game play,” says Novak. “She had the calm fortitude to beat our biggest rival in Old Lyme twice this season, with the second time being in the state championship. Many freshmen are still developing their mental maturity on the court, but Riley already gets it. She was one of my most coachable players this past year, and when I talked to her during changeovers at matches, she would listen, absorb, and go out and perform. She knew winning was a point-by-point process and never got in her own head if she was down in a game or a set.”
Valley had some wars with Shoreline Conference rival and Class S champion Old Lyme. Yet looking more with Riley’s set scores against the Wildcats, they reveal a tremendous story and barometer of how much confidence and knowledge she gained in the face of pressure.
“My first match this year, I lost. But I understood what was happening, and I grew from it,” Riley says. “I lost a three-hour match, but then I had a rematch with the girl and won it in three sets. I then beat her in straight sets in the state finals against Old Lyme. That progression against her showed me how much I grew. Going forward, I am looking forward to next year and seeing that continued growth for myself and the team.”