No matter how good a game tennis might be, nobody goes to watch high school tennis matches. And that’s not going to change. Whether it’s a Tuesday afternoon match in April or the state tournament, the crowd is almost always made up primarily of family members and the occasional boyfriend or girlfriend.
That’s why the crowd that followed Mercer County to the girls 12th Region Tournament last weekend stood out. Mercer’s fan base was easily the largest on Saturday and even on Sunday, when only two of its girls were playing. The crowd even included the school’s principal and athletic director.
But it also included a number of girls who might soon be inside the fences and playing for the Titans instead of outside looking in. Some of those girls are part of the “Rally Chicks” program installed by coach Diane Beauchamp to generate interest at Mercer below the high school level. Today’s chicks, after all, could be tomorrow’s champions.
Many of the girls in the program were on hand Sunday to support Allison Dailey and Ellen Van Gilder, who reached the doubles semifinals and qualified for the state tournament. The two girls said they were grateful for the support, and they said the program that has gotten the girls involved will be good for their team, which will likely be a major player in the 12th Region for years to come. “It’s really built up the program,” Dailey said.
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