Ferris tennis player hopes for personal, team success

Tennis has always been a part of Katie Griffith’s life. She’s just not quite sure why she took up the sport.

“My dad played, and my sister and brother all started playing the same time,” said the Ferris High School senior. “It started as … something fun we did during the summer. By eighth grade, I got a lot more serious with it.”

Griffith started lessons in sixth grade, and by the time she entered Ferris, she was good enough to make varsity as the Saxons No. 1 singles player. She has been the district champion at No. 1 for the last two years and placed in the top eight at state the last two seasons. The scary part for her opponents is, she’s getting better.

“Her mental toughness has developed,” said Saxon head coach Mike McLauchlin. “Her mental aspect of the game has settled down. She’s been to state her sophomore and junior years and she’s mentally prepared. She’s definitely gotten stronger in her game.”

Griffith has primarily been a baseliner, using a lethal backhand to dictate the pace of the point. She’s been working, though, to round out her game by improving her volleying.

“The other thing is her forehand has developed,” said McLauchlin. “She’s been very good at working hard at her strokes. She’s been out every morning working on her shots. She’s still a baseline player. When she does come in, she has become a complete player and shines coming to the net.”

“Tennis-wise, I’ve gotten a lot stronger,” said Griffith. “My serves are a lot better than when I was a freshman. On my all-court play, my volleys have gotten a lot better.”

Griffith is one of just two seniors on the Saxon team this season. Not only will she have to lead Ferris on the court this year, but also off of it.

“She’s my captain, and she’s always been a leader since her freshman year,” McLauchlin said. “She treats everyone with a lot of respect. She talks with every kid and every top varsity player. … She does it on their level and never acts like she’s their coach. We had a lot of players graduate from last year, and she’s been kind of on an island, but she’s stepped right in there and been personal with all the kids.”

“The most important thing is keeping the girls upbeat and really encouraging them,” said Griffith. “The last couple of years, our team has won the GSL and been really good. You have to find the right balance of competitiveness and fun. We have team bonding parties the night before matches and hang out outside of practice.”

Griffith is expected to make her third straight trip to the state tennis tournament this year. The past two seasons, she has split four matches each year, but has much higher expectations this next time around.

As much as she would like to succeed at the highest level individually, the Ferris senior would like her last season with the Saxons to result in another Greater Spokane League team title.

“I’m really hoping we’ll be in the top of the GSL,” Griffith said. “We did graduate pretty much our entire team from last year, but our team has a lot of really athletic girls that are competitive. The girls finished second, along with the boys, down in Lewiston (earlier this season) and I was so proud of them. I think it’s a sign good things are going to come this season.”