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05/10/2018 12:00 AMHaddam-Killingworth senior Emily Beck describes the tennis court as her “place of Zen.” For the past four years, Emily has used her focus to put together an exceptional career with the H-K girls’ tennis team.
Emily is a senior captain who plays No. 1 singles for the Cougars. She first picked up a racquet at age four under the tutelage of her father Matt, who is a coach at the Madison Racquet & Swim Club, where Emily now coaches.
After going 20-0 at No. 2 singles as a freshman, Emily moved up to the top spot and posted records of 18-2 and 17-2 in her sophomore and junior seasons, respectively. She’s also advanced to the final of the Shoreline Conference Tournament singles draw for the last three years. Now a senior, Emily is well on her way to putting a nice bow on her high-school career as she’s won her first 13 matches this season.
“Tennis will always be my happy place. It helps me get my frustrations out and clam my mind. It’s like breathing to me,” says Emily. “In my sophomore and junior years, my only losses were to [Westbrook’s] Casey Burns, and her and I grew up playing together. Going into this year was a little nerve-racking, because you forget how everyone plays and you have to review everyone all over again.”
Emily has been entrenched at the top of H-K’s singles lineup for three seasons now. Emily feels pressure to perform at the No. 1 position, but she also enjoys the opportunity to support her squad in any way possible—whether it’s by winning matches or giving pointers.
“I like being able to say I’m there to support my team. I want to win every match for them, which is the drive that keeps me going,” Emily says. “There is pressure, too, because you don’t want to disappoint anyone. I like the feeling of doing something for the team. I want to see them get better, and I always try to help the other girls out with their game, and I love seeing them grow.”
The Cougars saw a big group of freshmen try out for the team this year and, as a captain, Emily took it upon herself to take them under her wing. Emily had no problem spending a little time away from working on her own game in order to lend a helping hand to H-K’s next generation of athletes.
“Being captain comes with a lot of responsibility. We had 32 freshmen come out for the team this year, so I would help them practice the game,” Emily says. “I was sacrificing my practice time, but it was something you have to do as captain, and it was beneficial to the team.”
In addition to reaching the Shoreline Conference final, Emily has also qualified for the State Open Championship in each of the past three seasons, giving her the chance to compete among the best Connecticut has to offer. Years ago, Emily had the opportunity to compete for a squad that attained national prominence.
“At the State Open, I played against everyone in the state, which was awesome,” says Emily. “When I was 14, my club team went to nationals and came in 10th place. It was so cool to be able to do something like that when I was so young.”
H-K girls’ tennis Head Coach Donna Clark says that Emily constantly stays positive around her teammates and is a class act who’s known for complimenting her opponents.
“It has been a pleasure to watch Emily mature both on and off the courts,” says Clark. “Emily is always happy to encourage her teammates, give them advice about an upcoming match, and to offer tips on strategy and technique. She always has a kind word about her opponents and is gracious in her victories.”
Emily isn’t ready to close the book on tennis; she will continue her career with for Division II Southern New Hampshire University. Emily wants to enjoy her final few weeks competing for the Cougars, and she’s looking forward to seeing what the team can accomplish down the road.
“I just want to keep having fun with the rest of my senior year. Tennis has always been my happy place, and I want to continue that,” Emily says. “I hope this team continues to work hard and grow. This season has been better than all the others, and everyone is so upbeat. I hope they continue that in the future.”