Champ Chat with Coach C: Brennan Foreman and Hannah Harrod
1) When did you begin your competitive tennis career and why?
Brennan: I began playing tennis at age 10, but I did not begin to play competitively until I was 12 years old, when I started at ATA. I decided to play competitive because I wanted to be like the older kids in the academy.
Hannah: I started playing tennis at the age ten. When I was 11 years old I played my first competitive tournament and have been competing since then.
2) Was there any single moment or tournament where "the light bulb" went on and you realized "I can be pretty good at this?"
Brennan: I remember one match, it was the finals of a champ major zone when I turned 15, if I won the match, I would reach super champ level, the highest level. It was in May and I remember the weather being super hot; I was drenched in sweat and the court was so hot. It was the last match on at the facility and I was just ready to be off the court. After three hours of fighting and running, I won the match. At this moment, I knew it was something I wanted to pursue.
Hannah: There was never a light bulb moment for me. My junior tennis career has been like a color coaster ride with lots of ups and downs, but in the end it has been a blast.
3) What other sports did you play when you were in elementary and middle school? When did you choose to concentrate on tennis?
Brennan: In elementary and middle school, I was a soccer player. Soccer was my sport, and I thought I would be playing it the rest of my education through high school. When I was 14, as I was playing both tennis and soccer at the same time, I decided to move to only tennis because trying to play two competitive sports was too much.
Hannah: I played soccer as a little girl, but then I really got into softball. My first softball tryouts I made the select 12 and under team. I played for 3-4 seasons, but I decided to only play tennis. Then in 5th grade i tried playing volleyball, but i was put on the B team even though I was one of the stronger players. I’m pretty sure we lost every game and i couldn't handle my team always losing.
4) How many hours a day or week did you dedicate to tennis?
Brennan: For most of high school, tennis was a huge commitment for me. I practiced everyday after school from 4-7 and even had morning workouts on occasion.
Hannah: After middle school at the tennis academy, I came to SMCA so in highschool I just practiced Monday - Saturday 3 hours a day, including 2 times a month a tournament that would take up the whole weekend.
5) What has been the most difficult challenge for you in maintaining on-court excellence along with academic excellence at a college preparatory school like St. Michael's?
Brennan: For me, the hardest part about maintaining both tennis and academic challenges is balancing the two. Grades are a priority to me. It gets very stressful to manage your time the right way in order to have enough time for homework and also spending time with friends and family.
Hannah: The hardest part was making sure I would get my homework done at school because I would not have time afterwards. When I would get home from tennis I would be so tired from tennis and school, so I had to have good time management in order to maintain academic excellence. Also being organized and prepared at school helped me achieve on our excellence, because at tennis I knew I could only focus on tennis and not school.
6) Tell me what it feels like to win State in doubles four years in a row?
Brennan: Winning state four years in a row is a big accomplishment. It is a super exciting and fulfilling to know that after much training and dedication, I was able to reach this dream with one of my best friends.
Hannah: Amazing. Brennan and I could not have done it without our amazing coach. Coach Lisa has been the glue that has kept us together all four years. Tennis does not get a lot of acknowledgment, so I’m beyond excited to have created history for SMCA in tennis.
7) What is your fondest non-tennis memory of St. Michael’s?
Brennan: One of my favorite non-tennis memories is travelling to Morocco for my senior winter term. One of the best parts was getting the opportunity to travel by camels in the Sahara Desert and camp the night there.
Hannah: Winter Formal senior year.
8) What advice do you have for young aspiring tennis players?
Brennan: For younger tennis players, the biggest advice I would give them is to enjoy it. Tennis is a hard sport, not only physically but also mentally. It is easy to forget to enjoy the competition and be too hard on yourself. As a competitive player, it is important to work hard, but you also must remember to be proud of your work and accomplishments.
Hannah: I remember when i was 10 years old watching a signing ceremony at ATA and thinking to myself ‘I want to do what they are doing’. Then over the next nine years, after watching many people sign, I created my own dream to play college tennis. And now that dream has come true. So, to you little guys this is where my dream started, so if this is your dream, keep on dreaming it and it will come true. Another piece of advice is that in tennis you are going to lose more times than you win. So, keep digging deep in the hard times.
9) What was your most embarrassing moment?
Brennan: In the finals of state my junior year, my partner, Hannah, and I, were on the returning side. I was playing on the baseline, returning, and Hannah was at the net. The opponents served the ball and it was out, but I decided to still try and return it back to the other side. However, this did not go as I planned, as I was trying to return it, I was a little bit late and I hit the ball directly at Hannah in the middle of the back.
Hannah: In a doubles match with Brennan, we has just lost a crucial game and I was so mad. I had missed an easy volley in the net, so I kicked the ball. I meant for it to go in the net, but the amazing soccer player I am, I cleared the back fence. Of course the ref was watching along with Kevin, Coach Lisa, and our parents and the ref gave me a point penalty.
10) Share five things nobody knows about you? The funnier the better!
Hannah: My dream is to marry a cowboy. I can shoot water through my front two teeth. I am a horrible cook. I changed my name to Eliza (my middle name) in first grade. I injured my spleen trying to reach a balloon when I was 4 years old.
11) If you were stranded on a desert island and you could only bring one person, one item and one thing to eat…what would your answers be?
Brennan: My mom.
Hannah: I would bring Tim Riggins from Friday Night Lights!! I would bring an avocado so I could eat it then plant the pit to have more.
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