Rising Star Another Williams making a name in tennis
http://www.michronicleonline.com/articlelive/articles/2561/1/Rising-Star-Another-Williams-making-a-name-in-tennis/Page1.html
Leland Stein
By Leland Stein
Published on 04/2/2008
OK, the American media puts an extended emphasis on basketball, football and baseball. However, the wonderful sports of tennis, golf, boxing, and track and field are probably the most demanding endeavors an athlete can choose.
JASMINE WILLIAMS won the MHSAA No.2 singles state title as a freshman at Farmington Hills Mercy High School last year. She defeated Katelyn Schaffer of Bloomfield Hills Lahser, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the final.
OK, the American media puts an extended emphasis on basketball, football and baseball. However, the wonderful sports of tennis, golf, boxing, and track and field are probably the most demanding endeavors an athlete can choose.
Why?
Because, for the most part, each is a solo competition that demands the ultimate effort from oneself.
There are no catchers or receivers or point guards; it’s one-on-one, and what you bring to the challenge is going to have a direct result on whether you lose the game, set or match.
No matter the challenges of competing on a professional level in one of these individual sports, local tennis star Jasmine Williams, 15, who last year won the No. 2 singles state title in the MHSAA Tennis Championships as a freshman at Farmington Hills Mercy High School, believes she has what it takes to make it happen.
“I like the fact tennis is a one-on-one sport,” Jasmine said. “If I lose a match, it is no one’s fault but my own. I don’t like anyone getting in my way. I’m very competitive and I hate to lose. When I’m on that court I fight for every point.”
Without question, Williams has that intrinsic motivation and mind set that any high-level athlete must have. Perhaps the only thing lacking in her court is that today’s tennis players, particularly females in the 14- to 16-year-old range, are aligned with coaches and programs that set them up to continuously play against the best competition.
“She started playing when she was 8,” said Joe Williams, Jasmine’s father. “If we knew tennis would be this expensive, we would have never gotten involved. But Jasmine has a passion for the sport, plus she is very good at it. We have to do everything we can to support her.
“Tennis is a very different sport and we are thankful for Coach (Greg) Jones. Playing tennis, you have to master all the little nuances of the sport. You cannot just go out there and whack at the ball.”
Jasmine said the support given by her father, Joe, and mother, Aneita, is beyond belief.
“They are really supportive, but it can get a little stressful for them sometimes,” she said. “I have amazing parents. They scrape and scratch getting me to tournaments, buying rackets and strings. I’m really thankful for them.”
Jasmine said tennis is not about her parents wanting her to do it. She explained, in no uncertain terms, that tennis is about her and her desire to be very good at this challenging game.
She noted that ever since she saw Serena Williams playing, she has wanted to play at that level. Although she credits Serena with being a model, Jasmine said as she has gotten older, she now says tennis superstar Roger Federer is that player she most admires.
‘I’m playing in the USTA, but I’d like to position myself to turn pro,” Jasmine explained. “I have the grades to get in college, but the tennis window is opening and I have to make the effort to get through it.”
Joe Williams said that he and his wife are committed to helping their daughter achieve her goal.
“The goal is to get her in one of the tennis academies in Florida,” he said. “We’ve looked into the Nick Bollettieri and Evert Tennis academies and they are very expensive. They cost from $30,000-to-$40,000.”
The Williams family said if anyone would like to talk to them or contribute, he or she can send donations to Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church, 13881 Jos. Campau, Detroit, Mich. 48212 or call and ask for Joe or Aneita Williams at (248) 346-6135.
OK, the American media puts an extended emphasis on basketball, football and baseball. However, the wonderful sports of tennis, golf, boxing, and track and field are probably the most demanding endeavors an athlete can choose. Detroiter Jasmine Williams could be the next Venus and Serena
JASMINE WILLIAMS won the MHSAA No.2 singles state title as a freshman at Farmington Hills Mercy High School last year. She defeated Katelyn Schaffer of Bloomfield Hills Lahser, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the final.
OK, the American media puts an extended emphasis on basketball, football and baseball. However, the wonderful sports of tennis, golf, boxing, and track and field are probably the most demanding endeavors an athlete can choose.
Why?
Because, for the most part, each is a solo competition that demands the ultimate effort from oneself.
There are no catchers or receivers or point guards; it’s one-on-one, and what you bring to the challenge is going to have a direct result on whether you lose the game, set or match.
No matter the challenges of competing on a professional level in one of these individual sports, local tennis star Jasmine Williams, 15, who last year won the No. 2 singles state title in the MHSAA Tennis Championships as a freshman at Farmington Hills Mercy High School, believes she has what it takes to make it happen.
“I like the fact tennis is a one-on-one sport,” Jasmine said. “If I lose a match, it is no one’s fault but my own. I don’t like anyone getting in my way. I’m very competitive and I hate to lose. When I’m on that court I fight for every point.”
Without question, Williams has that intrinsic motivation and mind set that any high-level athlete must have. Perhaps the only thing lacking in her court is that today’s tennis players, particularly females in the 14- to 16-year-old range, are aligned with coaches and programs that set them up to continuously play against the best competition.
“She started playing when she was 8,” said Joe Williams, Jasmine’s father. “If we knew tennis would be this expensive, we would have never gotten involved. But Jasmine has a passion for the sport, plus she is very good at it. We have to do everything we can to support her.
“Tennis is a very different sport and we are thankful for Coach (Greg) Jones. Playing tennis, you have to master all the little nuances of the sport. You cannot just go out there and whack at the ball.”
Jasmine said the support given by her father, Joe, and mother, Aneita, is beyond belief.
“They are really supportive, but it can get a little stressful for them sometimes,” she said. “I have amazing parents. They scrape and scratch getting me to tournaments, buying rackets and strings. I’m really thankful for them.”
Jasmine said tennis is not about her parents wanting her to do it. She explained, in no uncertain terms, that tennis is about her and her desire to be very good at this challenging game.
She noted that ever since she saw Serena Williams playing, she has wanted to play at that level. Although she credits Serena with being a model, Jasmine said as she has gotten older, she now says tennis superstar Roger Federer is that player she most admires.
‘I’m playing in the USTA, but I’d like to position myself to turn pro,” Jasmine explained. “I have the grades to get in college, but the tennis window is opening and I have to make the effort to get through it.”
Joe Williams said that he and his wife are committed to helping their daughter achieve her goal.
“The goal is to get her in one of the tennis academies in Florida,” he said. “We’ve looked into the Nick Bollettieri and Evert Tennis academies and they are very expensive. They cost from $30,000-to-$40,000.”
The Williams family said if anyone would like to talk to them or contribute, he or she can send donations to Jehovah Missionary Baptist Church, 13881 Jos. Campau, Detroit, Mich. 48212 or call and ask for Joe or Aneita Williams at (248) 346-6135.