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06/23/2016 12:00 AMSheila Flaherty recently played the final set of what was a spectacular sendoff season and career with the Tigers’ girls’ tennis team. Sheila, who graduated from Daniel Hand High School two weeks ago, had the opportunity to play in two tournament finals as one half of one of the state’s most-dominant doubles duos this spring.
Sheila, who was also a four-year cross country runner and captain for Hand, has been invested in tennis for the better half of the past decade. After playing the last two years at No. 2 doubles, Sheila and senior teammate Sabrina Colonese-DiBello netted an unblemished record of 23-0 at that spot this season, while helping the Tigers notch 18 wins and reach the title bouts of the SCC Division I Tournament and the Class M State Tournament.
“She and I worked really hard because, especially for our senior years, we wanted to get back to the SCC and state finals. Everyone on the team worked really hard and we were also proud of each other to be able to work together and go 23-0,” says Sheila, who was 52-8 for her Hand career. “We are both good at volleying, but we also have good communication skills. We are always talking during points about who will get the ball.”
Sheila says that she and Colonese-DiBello perfected the art of putting away both points and sets in short order as the season unfolded. The dynamic duo also had a knack for ramping up the intensity against their harder opponents.
“Through the season, we both became more consistent with winning points and games,” says Sheila. “We had points in the year when we played teams that maybe weren’t as strong as others, but we worked harder to be better when it came to playing some of the tougher teams.”
In evaluating her four-year progression as a player, Sheila feels that she strengthened her return game, while displaying the same diligence that earned her a starting spot from the get-go.
“I think I just became more consistent in my game. I started out not playing varsity as a freshman, but then I got to the No. 2 doubles spot the next season and have been there the last three years,” Sheila says. “I also worked harder to win more points and put more volleys away.”
Head Coach Kitty Palmer says that Sheila was the master of composure on the court and also a selfless teammate who was always focused on the squad’s success before her own. Sheila earned the Sportsmanship Award for Palmer’s squad this spring.
“Sheila was a great cross country runner that chose to play tennis during the spring seasons and we are so glad she did. She was such a great competitor that became more determined as the matches got closer. I never saw her get mad, but she quickened her pace when she expected more of herself,” says Palmer. “She received our team Sportsmanship Award because she was a calming influence to her partners on the court, stayed focused, and loved the sport and her team. Sheila never cared about notoriety. She just wanted to win for the team. I and the team will miss her tremendously.”
After experiencing a SCC title in her first season at Hand, Sheila felt that it was extra special to compete in a pair of championships clashes in her final foray with the Tigers—thus capping off a tenure that will stick with her forever.
“I was very proud of our team to get to both these finals. Everyone worked really hard and we came so close to winning both titles, but it was fun to simply get to both,” says Sheila, who thanks Palmer, Colonese-DiBello, and her entire family. “Playing for Hand has been a great experience. Coach Palmer was so supportive in helping us accomplish our goals. The time here also meant a lot to me because we were really close as a team.”