Sports

Vansants fuel Trojan tennis

• Matt and Melinda Vansant live for tennis and the Lee County tennis teams are living well because of that fact.

Derek Barichello

LEESBURG — Tennis is a way of life for the Vansants of Lee County.

Matt Vansant, the reigning Herald Player of the Year in boys tennis, and sister Melinda both play No. 1 singles on the Trojans tennis team, each leading their respective squads to 6-1 records overall, and 1-0 in Region 1-AAAA.

While only a sophomore, Matt has never lost a match in his career for the Trojans, and big sis — a junior — has only dropped one this year.

But that's just the beginning.

On an average day at the Vansant household, the television is always tuned to the Tennis Channel; the coffee-table reading material is a variety of tennis magazines; and the talk at the dinner table is mostly about upcoming tournaments, while the family vacations are to Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York for the U.S. Open — all captained by father John Vansant III, a self-admitted tennis fanatic who has been playing since 1999.

"It's our hobby,” said Melinda, who lost her only match of the season against Crisp County. “We all do it together and we play all the time. We just love tennis.”

And first year Lee County tennis coach Blair Johnston loves the Vansants.

In fact, Johnston is so confident with the Vansants leading the way, he is not shy in admitting he thinks both his boys and girls teams can win region titles – a quest that continues today against region foe Bainbridge at 4 p.m. at Darton College

“Matt hasn't been beat and we have four other strong players who are interchangeable, so I like our situation,” Johnston said.

Melinda started playing with her father at nine years old, while Mr. Vansant introduced Matt on a trip to Biloxi when he was eight.

Even Mother Vansant – Debbie – and the youngest Vansant, 13-year old Cliff, can be found on the court.

But these days, it's no secret that one Vansant has risen to the top.

“He's so much better,” Melinda said of Matt, who was ranked No. 12 in the state of Georgia in his age group at the end of last year. “In the summer, we'll play more and he'll show me what I need to improve on. He's a like a coach to me.”

And together as a family, the Vansants will be right there as Matt plans to play in 20 tournaments across the southeast during the summer – all in the name of one goal.

“I'd love to get into a Division I program,” Matt said. “It depends on how good I can get.”

According to Johnston, thanks to both the Vansants' strong desire to keep getting better, it pushes the rest of their Trojan teammates to do the same. Twelve of his 24 players play year-round by going to camps or participating in leagues.

“They aren't out here to just get a letter,” said Johnston, who played four years of tennis at Albany High School and two on scholarship at Darton College. “They're dedicated and it shows. When they come back for spring, they are already much improved.”

Nothing spoke louder about his team's motivation than when they called their own practice Monday at Grand Island after discovering the GISA Region 3-AAA tournament was being held on their normal practice courts.

The tune-up paid dividends as one day later, both Lee County's squads won their first region match of the season against Americus-Sumter. The guys romped 5-0, while the girls cruised, 4-1.

And this year's fast start for both teams has also proven something else: Even with the Vansants, the Trojans' supporting cast can also get the job done.

The boys, which won the region title last year, have No. 2 Joseph Valdez and No. 3 Gene Schultz rounding out the singles, with Mark Mullins and Colby Pines currently serving as the top doubles duo.

For the girls, No. 2 Brittany Moates and No. 3 Courtney Wingfield fill in the next two spots behind Melinda, while the doubles teams of No. 1 Casey Wright and Katie Brown and No. 2 Hannah Aldrich and Mallory Swearingen have also held their spots in the tight-knit lineup of ladies.

“I drive a lot of the girls around,” said Melinda, one of only four Lady Trojans who has their license. “We all hang out on weekends and talk at school and we'll talk about tennis a lot. We talk about strategy or how to improve. We all want to get better.”

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