RGVT: How did you get started playng tennis?
SP: My brother started playing tennis at the country club. I think he was in junior high and I was in elementary. So, since he was playing tennis, my mom asked me if I wanted to play and I said, "sure, ok, whatever". So, I took lessons over there at the country clube for...oh...I don't know...five months. And.....well...I didn't really like it cause I was a little girl and I liked to play other sports. So then, I came back to it when I was in junior high. And then I started playing at Gutierez and from there I went to Vela in the seventh grade. From there I started playing actual tournaments. I liked it, so I stayed in it.

RGVT: Did you play any sports other than tennis?
SP: Yea. I played all different sports...mostly soccer...and then Coach Stillman started talking to me and stuff. And he told me if I joined tennis and stuff.....that he would put me on varsity if I just stuck to tennis. So, I just stuck to tennis.

RGVT: So that was how he got you out of soccer, huh?
SP: (laughs) Yeah. Pretty much. (laughs)

RGVT: Cool.
SP: Well, after I thought about it for a while I figured I'd have a better chance of getting a scholarship in tennis than I would in soccer. Soccer's like way harder to get a scholarship because it's more of a team sport than tennis.

RGVT: So, college is something you're already thinking about? Where would you like to go?
SP: Oh yeah. (sighs) I'd like to go out of state probably. I'm looking at Hawaii and Florida and maybe Australia. I just wanna travel.

RGVT: So, where does your GPA come into all that?
SP: Well, my grades are pretty average. I'm not super smart...well...it's because I don't really have alot of time to study, because I'm always out here on the tennis court.

RGVT: So, your life pretty much revolves around the tennis court?
SP: Yeah, pretty much; and if it doesn't, then coach makes sure that it does revolve around the court.

RGVT: Really? How does he make sure of that?
SP: (laughs) He gets on my case alot!

RGVT: Does he have to get on your case alot? (laughs)
SP: (laughs) No, but he thinks he does.

RGVT: Did you qualify for regionals this year?
SP: No. I should have, but I took my match too fast. The girl was cheating me and I didn't call for a line judge. I know I should have, but I was being ignorant. I thought that I could do it myself....you know...beat her myself and I just didn't wanna take the time to call a line judge. I wanted to speed up the match. But...now we know right?

RGVT: Everybody talks about your strength and how strong you are. Where does that come from? Do you lift weights regularly? Or how did that come about?
SP: No. I don't do anything at all. I only lift weights when I have to. Like when Coach Stillman takes us to the weight room, but other than that, I don't do anything at all. When I was small, I was a balerina and I was in gymnastics and maybe that's where I get my strength from 'cause you have to have a lot of strength for that.

RGVT: To be a balerina you have to have a lot of strength?
SP: Yeah, well, that's where I get my legs from. You have to be able to stand on your toes! And, gymnastics is hardcore training. I don't know if I can still do that (she sees I was going to ask), because I was small (laughs). And then like in soccer, there was a lot of hardcore training. So, I guess that's where I get this body. Plus I think it's probably hereditary, becuase of my dad.

RGVT: I was talking to your dad and he says you can push him around pretty well...and he's a big guy.
SP: Yeah. (laughs)

RGVT: I hear someone say, "You're just jealous because Sara can bench press more than you can", and they were talking to a guy.
SP: (laughs) Yeah. Well, the only reason I know how much I can bench press is because when we go to the weight room with the tennis team during the class period. We do squats and bench press and run a mile or two before that as a warm up. We do a set of 50 crunches and like twenty pushups or something and then we start working out.

RGVT: So that's your warm up?
SP: Yea.

RGVT: Wow. You know that would kill most people that are out here. (laughs)
SP: (laughs) And then we start our lifting. We just do whatever coach tells us to...no questions. Mostly it's just during team tennis. I guess it's kind of random. I don't remember having a specific schedule to where there was a specific time to go into the weight room.

RGVT: So...how much can you bench press?
SP: Last was around 155 or something. I can bench press more now for sure though.

RGVT: So you can basically bench press a whole person? (laughs)
SP: (laughs) Well, yeah, I guess. I don't write it down or anything...just so many people keep asking me like, "I heard you can bench press one fifty five", and just from having to repeat it over and over - I remember how much it was that last time. But, I haven't done it since last October. I'm probably much stronger now.

RGVT: Wow, cause I was talking to Coach Holder about you since you were suposed to be the featured player for October of 2008...
SP: (laughs) Yeah, you had me up there for a long time..."Coming Soon!"

RGVT: (laughs) Oh yeah! "Coming soon!" (laughs) We just got busy and the schedule didn't permit. I think we had Kate Holder on there for like two months, since we didn't get to do an interview with her yet. But, I was talking to Coach Holder and I saw you pick a guy from your team up and you held him like you would hold a baby. He must have weighed well over 155 pounds.
SP: (laughs really hard) Really? (laughs hard some more)

RGVT: Yeah, and I remember telling Coach Holder, "Holy cow! That girl is unbelievably strong!", cause I couldn't believe you were doing that! And I asked him if you had ever thought about going into power lifting. And then he drags me aside, shushes me and says, " Sshhh! Don't say anything, cause if other coaches find out how strong she is, they are going to try and take her away from tennis".....so, powerlifting isn't something you would like to go into? I know that Coach Stillman and Coach Holder are going to get mad at me for asking (laughs).
SP: (laughs) Yeah, probably. (laughs even harder) I don't know. People have asked me for so long. I don't know. I mean, I've never even tried it. I mean, like I said, I don't do anything to get strong. I don't do any of that stuff. I've never been approached by a powerlifting coach either. I've never done anything on my own. Everything that I have done for strength, I've done because I was told to by my tennis coach. I know that sounds bad, but it's true. I don't do anything on my own. (laughs)

RGVT: It's all natural strength?
SP: Yeah. I'm pretty lucky I guess. Yeah. I mean, I would rather stick to tennis than get into powerlifting. I don't wanna get, you know, "buff" (makes buff muscular pose and laughs). I still wanna look like a girl. I don't wanna get all addicted to steroids and stuff and all that comes with sports other than tennis.

RGVT: Speaking of steroids, have you seen any of that in your tennis playing among other players?
SP: No. Not at all really. I mean it wouldn't really help you in tennis so much. Tennis is more about mental strength anyway, so it would be pretty much a waste of time anyway...so why bother.

RGVT: Let's talk about your tennis, because you have improved alot this past year. To what do you attribute that to? Is it just going out there every day? For example, your forehand has really improved alot this past year. We've all kind of noticed that. I mean what is it that has made such a drastic improvement in your forehand over the last year?
SP: I guess it's just a lot of practice and good coaches. Alot of repetition, yeah. I guess different techniques from different coaches and stuff. Coach Stillman isn't my only coach (she noticed my next question). Coach Ingram? Do you know him? He's an English teacher at Harlingen South. He has his own court at his house right there by South too, and I take lessons from him Tuesdays and Thursdays...private lessons. But now, it's all clinics with me and Thalia and Ashley. And he helped me alot. He actually gave me all my real skills. Don't tell Coach Stillman! (laughs) Coach Ingram teaches me to hit the ball the way that I am able to hit it and Coach Stillman teaches me to put alot of top (top spin) on the ball. I'm a fast learner and when I feel that I don't get the coaching that I need, I get very impatient. Don't get me wrong, Coach Stillman is the best! It's just that Coach Stillman is the coach of the team, and I can't really be asking him to give me private lessons since he has the rest of the team to worry about. If we all asked him for private lessons, he wouldn't have time to make us better as a team and that's why I get private lessons elsewhere.

RGVT: Is there anything specific that you're working on to improve at this time in your game?
SP: My serve! I'm trying to keep it consistent and like I guess I'm trying like improve my first serve and to another degree my second serve. I mean my spin on my second serve...I want the ball to kick! Like Coach Stillman wants my first serve to be like my second serve, but I'm like "Why? There should be a difference". Like your first serve should be like going for it, like all the way. When you play tennis or when you play any sport, you should always go for it and do your best and give it a hundred percent. Well, that's what I want to do with my first serve...no matter who I'm playing.

RGVT: Well, I don't see you slowing down alot on your second serves, Sara.
SP: No. But, that's when you're watching me out here. At school tournaments I have to, because Coach Stillman is watching me and I have to do what he says. Because, you know, he's still my coach. But, Coach Ingram wants me to hit my serves to where, on my first serve, it hits in the court and then it hits the fence before it bounces a second time.

RGVT: That's how Don teaches the serve.
SP: Oh really? I wouldn't know. My brother and I don't take lessons with Don.

RGVT: Yeah. He says your first and second serves should hit inside and then hit the fence...on both serves. I mean, if you don't put anything on your second serve...if you just pancake it in, your opponent is going to pound it away for a winner anyway, right? So, you need to put enough on it to where it's not a liability.
SP: Oh yeah. Exactly. That's why I'm focusing on my serves more, because that's what is hurting me. I don't wanna go into some match like...if I go into supers...I don't want to go into supers and just dink it in or give them my little slice serve.

RGVT: And when is your next champs tournament?
SP: It's in May in College Station. Right now I'm not even sure if I'm gonna go...cause it's so far. (sighs)...but I don't know.

RGVT: What kind of racket do you use?
SP: I use the Babolat. The one that Nadal uses. (Babolat AeroPro Drive Cortex - Editor)

RGVT: You like Nadal? You like the way he plays or you just like Nadal?
SP: Both! (laughs)

RGVT: Cool. So, you have a two-handed backhand. How do you hit your two-handed backhand? I mean, I don't know; because I have a one-handed backhand. So explain to those of us that are unfamiliar how you hit yours.
SP: Oh, well, I was going to have a one-handed backhand; because I have the strength to do it...but, no, I think I'll stick to my two-handed backhand. I've really done alot of improving on my backhand and I think I'll keep it. I hit it so well now that sometimes I will want to run around my forehand, especially if my forehand is being inconsistent, and hit a backhand. Cause any little thing will mess up my forehand, like if I'm not bending my knees or anything. But, if I try to run around it and hit my backhand...perfect.

RGVT: So, you run around your forehand to hit a backhand?
SP: Yeah. Coach gets mad, but I still do it. I see you do that sometimes. No, but I think that's my strength...my big gun...my weapon. Because I can be super consistent with it. People will hit to it like at District...coaches tell everyone to hit to their backhands and me and Ashley were going at it...and we were like both literally at the doubles alleys going backhand to backhand for the longest times. I think that every single point, except for maybe one...or maybe two...I won. Cause I mean, I can put them away too and hit it hard down the line.

RGVT: What's your favorite shot?
SP: Overhead. (laughs). I'm an agressive player. I like to pound the ball. But, back to college, I really wanna play USTA tennis; because I really wanna get into college playing tennis. It's just that I fell like it's...you know...for what? The competition at the high school level is just rediculous...

RGVT: How do you handle that? I've seen you play at tournaments where you play against opponents that didn't seem like they even knew how to hold a racket, much less play with one. How do you deal with that? Is that what you mean?
SP: Yeah. I have to hold back alot, of course. With people like that, you can't just like...play the way you can. They wind up getting "gueva" (pronounced: "weva") shots, so you gotta be careful. Whenever I play those people I just slice it or I'll drop shot and stuff and make them come in then lob it over their head. Just really playing around with them and they get discouraged.

RGVT: Anything else you would like to say before we end the interview?
SP: Well, let me just say that I don't hate Coach Stillman or anything (laughs). He's a really awesome coach...no doubt! He's the best school coach in the valley. For sure.

RGVT: Ok. Well, let me ask you this. How old are you, Sara?
SP: I just turned 16 on Easter Sunday this past April 12th and I'm a sophomore.

RGVT: Wow. And you're already playing that well. That's amazing! I'm glad we have a couple of more years to seeing you on the courts.
SP: Thanks. I just wanna get so good that a major university scouts me. You know what I mean? I would like to go into a division one college and major in psychology, because my mom is a counselor. Everything about psychology interests me alot. That's why when you see me like at a champs tournament or something, you won't see me make any expressions whether I hit a good point or a bad one. I don't let my opponent see anything in me that they might see as weakness. I mean, if it is just here and I am just messing around you might hear me say, "Oh, man! Come on!". I don't do any of that at a real tournament.

RGVT: Anything else you would like to say?
SP: Can we take a picture with my guns?