LIVE OAK — Facing Aucilla Christian’s Morgan McNeill in Monticello in February, Madison Dear’s senior season couldn’t have gotten off to much worse of a start.
As Suwannee’s year was getting underway, Dear quickly found herself in a 6-3 hole against McNeill. Dear, though, didn’t panic and she didn’t give in.
Instead, she kept playing her game. Five games later, Dear emerged with a come-from-behind 8-6 season-opening win.
“I was pretty proud of that,” said Dear, the Lake City Reporter’s Girls Tennis Player of the Year. “It was a really good start to my season.
“I think there were other times when I’d have tough games and I’d just think back that if I could do that, I can do this. It definitely did boost my confidence for the rest of the season.”
Both that confidence boost and that resiliency continued to be key traits for Dear as she went 13-2 in singles play for Suwannee in a senior season that otherwise could have played out much different.
A four-year varsity player for the Bulldogs, Dear was one of Suwannee’s most experienced players. Still, she began the year No. 3 in the Bulldogs’ lineup behind juniors Lola Ballard and Claire Palmer. She later dropped to No. 4 behind sophomore Brooke Fernald.
But there was no change from Dear, who just kept playing her game.
“Since it was my senior year, I didn’t want to let it bother me,” she said. “I wanted to make it my best year.
“It wasn’t going to define my high school career, I just wanted to make it a fun part of my life.”
Suwannee coach Damon Wooley agreed that Dear didn’t let those circumstances define her senior season or her career.
Instead, she regrouped and showed that resiliency that served her well in the season opener.
“I think she kind of focused and locked in a little bit,” Wooley said.
That focus, combined with a knowledge of her game and what she does well, allowed Dear to make the most of her final season at SHS, Wooley said.
Her game, he noted, is to get the ball back to opponents.
“Madison is a real steady player,” he said. “She’s not real flashy.”
The lack of flash from drilling winners all over the court was replaced by a steady diet of returns. Much to the chagrin of some opponents.
“I think she did a really good job this year with some of her opponents that even were, maybe, better than her, even outlasting them,” Wooley said. “That frustrates an opponent where they hit a shot that they think is going to be a winner and she gets it back. They hit another one and she gets it back.”
Dear said that consistency is a key component to her success.
“Competitive shots are pretty nice but you can’t always get those,” she said. “Getting the ball back is a big part of it, the whole game.”
Those returns come in a variety of ways, Dear said, noting she is pretty comfortable playing a number of shots. She said she’s both very comfortable with her forehand and her backhand and has a serve that is at least decent.
Her best attribute on the court, though, is her mindset she says.
“I get pretty in the game,” she said. “I’m pretty determined to do whatever I can.
“I just think my determination is what (separates me).”
That determination could be tested during practice against Suwannee’s other players, a group that were close and competitive. Dear credited their close-knit group as the key to her success as a senior.
Wooley noted the competition in practice ended up paying off in matches.
In fact, he said late in the year Dear challenged Fernald to retake the No. 3 spot in the Bulldogs lineup. After some debate over whether Fernald had to accept, the two played a really good match with Fernald coming out on top.
The coach promptly told both that he didn’t care who was third or fourth, he just liked what he saw on the court.
“‘All this is making you both better, y’all are competing,’” he said. “And that was kind of our theme this year at practice.”
It was the message he delivered at the start of the year to use the practice time to play each other, compete and work at improving.
“That’s going to make you better,” he said. “We had that out there this year.”