If the old mantra "competition breeds innovation" holds any bearing for Live Oak tennis, the Lady Acorns will be a considerable force in 2008.
While most Santa Teresa Division teams are reconfiguring their rosters, Live Oak is reloading.
"Everybody is back except one player," said the Acorns' third-year coach Jennifer Yoder. "I'm excited. We have some good players and we're going to do a lot better."
Hampered by inexperience, Live Oak ambled to a 5-12 finish last fall - but set the stage for a big encore. The Acorns dressed a promising 11 players in their first day of fall camp this week.
"We want this to be our year," said Kalea Cleeton, a co-captain and one of four seniors on the team. "I think we have a lot of potential. We all want to do well."
Live Oak's lone departure was No. 1 single Karessa Watanabe. Her absence leaves five players in the hunt for the top spot, including Cleeton who was the No. 2 in 2007.
The players themselves will finalize Yoder's four-person ladder next week when Live Oak holds its annual intrasquad tournament.
"Right now, everything is up for grabs," Yoder said. "That's good, though. The girls are pushing themselves. I'd say our top five players are all on the same level."
Aside from Cleeton, the Acorns' potential singles include juniors Alyssa Gamboa and Marie Lewis; Alexandra Mandel, a senior, and up-and-coming freshman Elena McElheny. Yoder has high expectations for Cleeton and McElheny.
"She's going to have some awesome matches this year," Yoder said of Cleeton. "She's been out all summer preparing - that's exciting.
"(McElheny) did club tennis year round and is going to be a huge asset to this team."
So are Live Oak's newcomers, Jennifer Protsman, Megan Shumate and Amy Freitas. They're a motley trio of talent, with Protsman being a former field hockey player, Shumate a band member and Freitas a cheerleader.
"You know they've got spirit," Yoder joked.
Like the singles, the Acorns' doubles ladder is a work in progress. Yoder plans to use her odd person out of the singles cut in her top doubles pair. Her potential tandems will likely consist of Mika Matsumoto, Charissa Hosseini, Melrose Ecura and Mandel - who's making a push for singles. The players have confidence for each of their teammates.
"We worked really hard this summer," Gamboa said. "We played together all the time. If we didn't make it to the courts, we were on the phone yelling, 'where are you?'"
Yoder isn't sure where her Acorns will stack up this year in league, but insist the team to beat is Santa Teresa. Live Oak has its sight set elsewhere, though - on its Sept. 4 home meeting with league newcomer Sobrato.
"The rivalry starts early. We have a good routine right now, so we should be ready," Yoder said with a smile. "We're full of experience, which means we'll be empty next year."
Scott J. Adams Scott J. Adams covers Morgan Hill sports for South Valley Newspapers. Send him an email or call him at 779-4106.
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