Ankeny senior Olivia North wants to keep playing tennis as long as she can.
And perhaps in the future, she’ll stay involved with the sport by becoming a coach.
North, who has committed to play tennis at Wartburg College in the fall, is serving as an assistant for Ankeny boys’ coach Ron Miller this spring. The Hawks opened their season on Tuesday with a 6-5 victory over visiting Ballard (Huxley).
Miller needed some help when his previous assistant resigned from his position a few weeks before the season started.
“During the offseason I trained at Ames Tennis Center where I got to know Ron, and I knew I would miss being at the courts all spring. So I mentioned maybe being a manager,” said North, who was then offered a different position by Miller. “I have been able to help the JV team. It’s been a lot of fun so far. All of the guys have been very kind and easy to work with.”
North said the experience thus far has sparked an interest in potentially becoming a coach down the road.
“I would love to coach in some form when I’m older,” she said.
For now, though, North just wants to help as much as she can while keeping her own game sharp. She posted a 5-9 record at No. 1 singles for the Hawkettes last fall while competing against many of the state’s top players.
North said she picked Wartburg over a few other schools.
“Each one varied in distance from home and size,” she said. “It was a difficult decision, but ultimately I didn’t want to miss out on this opportunity. I am super excited about Wartburg. I know a couple people who have played there and when I visited the campus it felt like home. Coach (Chris) Gustas and all the girls have been very welcoming.”
North said she already knows some of her future teammates.
“In addition to the amazing coaching staff and facilities, I was excited about Wartburg because I already knew the other seniors who are going to be my teammates next year from attending the Wartburg summer camp,” she said. “I couldn’t wait to be a part of the program. Also, being a small school, when I was on campus there was a sense of community. I can not wait to further my tennis career at the next level.”