Wooldridge achieves childhood dream

You can ask her friends, family and teammates about it. They teased her relentlessly after every victory in the Class B-C state tennis tournament for how nervous she was prior to each match.

But as Alberton senior Emma Wooldridge said herself something else went along with the nerve wracking feeling she had before each match, before each and every win bringing her closer and closer to capping off a perfect season with a state championship on Saturday. Along with the nerves came determination.

“I do try my best to be confident and play my game,” Wooldridge said. “I don’t think too far ahead and assume I am going to win. I knew I had to work hard for the wins and I did.”

According to Wooldridge, one of the main reasons for the nerves was knowing this was her senior year. This was her last shot at achieving a dream she had since she was a child.

“I didn’t want a repeat of sophomore year (where she finished second in the tournament),” Wooldridge said. “I didn’t want to settle with second place this year so I played for first.”

And play she did.

Wooldridge cruised through the first rounds of the tournament in Missoula, dominating her opponents like she has been doing all year – by playing smart tennis and keeping the momentum in her favor.

In the semi-finals, which Wooldridge said she was “more nervous” for than the finals, she faced off against Linnea Zier of Fairfield. Utilizing the nervous feelings she felt prior to the match, Wooldridge focused and was able to defeat Zier in straight sets.

The championship match pitted Wooldridge against Kristine Warlick of Conrad and the Alberton senior said she is still processing the result of the match – another straight set victory in which she only dropped two games.

”The championship could have barely gone better,” Wooldridge said. “I wasn’t as nervous as I was in the semi finals, actually, but I wish I could have shaken the nerves fully so I could hit my power strokes and attack the net more. I shouldn’t complain though.”

In the final game of the final set of her high school tennis career, Wooldridge found herself up 40-love and she said she was determined to win on that point.

But she had an unforced error.

“So, 40-15 I just got every ball back,” Wooldridge said. “I ran her around and prayed for her to mess up because I sure wasn’t going to. I tried to stay focused on the point and how I was going to play it out, but the thought of what I would do after I won the point did pop into my head for a second.”

Wooldridge is still trying to figure out how to explain the feeling of winning the championship.

It all happened in a whirlwind weekend that also saw her graduate as the valedictorian of her class – but she does know it was everything she dreamed it would be.

“The season was perfect,” Wooldridge said. “I didn’t think I could have a perfect record, but I do. I go out onto the court with a good mindset. I may be nervous, but I am confident. I don’t assume I’m going to win, but in my head I tell myself to play like a champion. I never give up and I don’t get frustrated with my mistakes. I stay positive and I am kind to my opponent. And I believe that’s why I had the perfect season.”

Last year’s state winner, another Superior-Alberton tennis player Cary Chamberlain, said although the two were fierce competitors on the court the two are great friends and always talked about both of them winning state.

“I think it is awesome that she won the state title she worked really hard to get back after her injury last year,” Chamberlain said. “When she came back she looked stronger and more focused then ever and I think you could tell by how much she dominated on the court.”

Like Chamberlain, Wooldridge won’t take her dominant play to the college level, choosing instead to focus on academics. However, she will always have her perfect year and the memories that come with it.

“I would like to thank my coach Rick Berreth for instilling confidence in myself and pushing me to succeed,” Wooldridge said.

“My teammates, for helping me improve all season and for always cheering me on. And my family, for believing in my abilities and for their constant love.”