The Hawaii Pacific USTA Jr. Fed Cup recently team wrapped up a five-day training block at the Mauna Lani Sports and Fitness Club in preparation for the USTA Girls 18 National Team Tennis Tournament.
Of the six team members selected to attend the national tournament, three are from the Big Island – recent Hilo graduate Emily Soares, Kelakehe’s April Wong and recent Hawaii Academy of Arts & Sciences graduate Diana Wong, will join Oahu’s Katherine Corpuz and Taylor Lau, and Maui’s Kylee Kato for the four-day tourney starting July 30 in Claremont, Calif. The event will host 16 sectional teams from across the country and takes place at the Claremont Country Club.
In preparation for the Junior Fed Cup, head coach Andy Klug wanted his players to be strong both mentally and physically, so he designed a complex training regiment.
The training block combined a multitude of cross training activities such as Pilates, spin class, yoga and speed and agility drills. There was also a seminar on tennis strategy.
“It was all about getting a focused mindset to control the mental climate so that each player can do their best,” Klug said. “We also wanted to build a top shape, physically fit body to go with the mentally fit mind. It was a lot of fun.”
The Big Island got a taste of the Fed Cup format at the beginning of the year when Venus Williams led the United States to victory in a match against Poland.
The Junior Fed Cup is slightly different in that it is designed to simulate a college team experience. On-court coaching is allowed and the format follows NCAA guidelines for team competition.
Each day pits the sectional teams against each other in a dual match format consisting of three doubles matches and six singles matches. Each doubles win is worth one point and each singles win is also worth a point. The first team to clinch four points wins the dual match and advances in the draw. The tournament is non-elimination so all teams will have dual matches scheduled for every day of the four-day event.
The Hawaii squad has a lot of experience heading into this year’s Junior Fed Cup. Four of the six players were on the team last year. The only newcomers are April and Diana Wong.
Last year’s squad managed to win one of their four dual matches, but the Junior Fed Cup is about more than winning, it is about bonding as a team and gaining experience on a national level while also performing at a high level in front of college coaches and scouts.
“I want the girls to be able to break through and earn more success than they were previously able to achieve,” Klug said. “These kids have known each other their entire lives. They usually have to play against each other. It is very special for them to travel together on the same team.”
Klug has no doubt that the six players selected will represent Hawaii to the best of their abilities at the Junior Fed Cup.
“The competition is pretty even beyond the top six teams and it is very winnable,” Klug said. “These are incredibly nice kids and they are putting the good foot forward for the state and what we represent as a culture.”
