Former ODA standout plays tennis for Boston College

Maria Ross knows there is work to be done on the tennis courts this weekend at the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club. But the Out-of-Door Academy graduate also knows that a quick trip to Sarasota would not be complete for college kids without a bit of rest and relaxation at the beach.

“Oh, we will definitely try to make it to the beach,” said Ross, who will be joined by three of her Boston College teammates this weekend at the Lakewood Ranch Dick Vitale Intercollegiate Clay Court Classic at the Lakewood Ranch Golf and Country Club.

Tennis is the name of the game but a little time at the beach becomes a big priority when you get a few days in the Sunshine State.

“It has been rainy and cold (in Boston),” said Ross. “I am excited to see some sun and warm weather.”

And as the resident Sarasota area expert on her team, Ross is expected to be the tour guide for teammates hoping to make the most of the weekend trip.

“Time is going to be tight because of all the tennis matches but, hopefully we will have a little time for the beach,” Ross said. “I know we all want a tan because we are so pale. We want to see the sun.”

Ross, now a junior at Boston College, made the trip back home two years ago to play in the annual college event on what are essentially her home courts. She planned on playing last year but missed the tournament because of an injury that required wrist surgery and kept her off the courts from April to nearly December.

“That was the longest break I have ever had from tennis,” said Ross, who won a state title for ODA as a high school freshman. “It was challenging to return to tennis and being competitive again after being out for so long. But the time off allowed me to work on other things.”

Now completely healthy, Ross, now 20, hopes to help her team to a good showing in the event that brings together players from many of the top collegiate programs to compete in singles and doubles.

Among the schools sending teams are: Florida, Florida State, South Florida, Notre Dame, Duke, Navy, Illinois and Michigan in the men’s division and Florida, South Florida, UCF, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Virginia Tech, Auburn, Michigfan, Oklahoma, Appalachian State and Boston College in the women’s draw.

Now in its 10th year, play gets under way Friday and runs through Sunday for the event embraced by ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale. Admission is free and proceeds benefit the V Foundation for Pediatric Cancer Research.

For Ross, it is a chance to take a little break from school, an opportunity to spend a couple nights in her own bed, visit family and work on her tennis.

“I am definitely excited to play matches this weekend because I have been trying to play more fall matches leading up to when our season really begins in the spring,” said Ross, who also gets a chance for long-time tennis coach Chris Marquez to work with her on her game.

“I always look forward to when she comes home from school as we get back at it for the upcoming season,” said Marquez, who teaches tennis at the Lakewood Ranch facility and was instrumental in bringing the college event to the club.

 

“Maria is definitely one of the purest ball-strikers I have ever coached. Her combined quickness around the court and her power off the ground definitely adds more pressure to her opponents. When she is playing well, she is extremely tough to beat.”

The event brings Ross back to the clay courts she grew up on but the A student at Boston College has learned that her game might be more suited to the hard courts that are typically used to play college matches on.

“I think I am a pretty aggressive player, I like to go to the net,” Ross said. “Aggressive play is a positive in college tennis since you play a majority of matches on hard courts and indoors the majority of the time.”

But there is still nothing wrong for an occasional match outdoors on clay. And certainly nothing wrong with finding some time for sun and sand.

Source: Herald Tribune