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Berkeley Prep eighth-grade pitcher Jenny Weissman is ranked 12th in the state in strikeouts, fanning 122 batters.

Academy of the Holy Names has its own trio of pre-high-school players.

“From an athletic standpoint, benefit No. 1 is the competition is so much better,” said Ed Gerecke, whose seventh-grade twin daughters, Alexandra and Christina, are varsity softball players at the Academy of the Holy Names. “The more you’re exposed to better competition, I think the better you become, so that’s been a real plus.

“Secondly, the level of coaching. They have great coaches there at Academy, so the coaching they’re getting, they’re not going to get otherwise. Obviously, the higher up you go in competition level, the quality of coaching gets better.”

The Jaguars (12-4) also have starting outfielder Ashton Hill.

According to Florida High School Athletic Association bylaw 11.5.4, it is all legal. The excerpt states: “Participation or non-participation in the sixth, seventh and/or eighth grades shall not affect a student’s eligibility after entering the ninth grade. A student shall have four consecutive years of opportunity for eligibility after his/her first enrollment in the ninth grade.”

What makes their participation possible is if the student attends an independent middle school or a middle-junior high school with grades from kindergarten to 12th.

Don’t Rush Them

The players might have the physical ability to compete against older athletes, but it’s a delicate dance to ensure that players have what it takes mentally to deal with the pressures of varsity athletics.

“If they succeed, I think, it’s going to be helpful to them and they’re going to be the prodigies of sport,” said John F. Murray, a sports psychologist in Palm Beach. “Socially, I think, is where the difference is going to be. They’re not really going to fit in as much perhaps socially, and they might develop a bit of an insecurity with the team. But if they’re contributing to the team and helping the team win, I don’t think it’s such a bad thing.”

During the 2006-07 , Tampa Bay Christian’s Clark Glass won the program’s first wrestling title when he won the Class 1A, 103-pound title – as a seventh-grader.

Clark’s father, Greg, said the early start might not have come had his son been wrestling in a higher weight class. This season, as an eighth-grader, Clark moved up two weight classes to 119 pounds, returning to the state tournament and placing fourth.

“We felt that Clark, mentally and physically, especially coming in here as a 103-pounder last year, was at a level where he would be fine,” Greg Glass said. “Win, lose or draw, he was going to be OK on both perspectives, mentally and physically.

“Ultimately we felt where Clark was at in his life, that it would actually make him stronger by taking some losses now that in the long run would actually make him better.”

Clark Glass, 15, never had any qualms about mixing it up with older wrestlers.

“If I lose matches, I bounce back, learn from my mistakes and wrestle hard the next time,” said Glass, who went 39-4 this past season and was 41-1 as a seventh-grader.

Glass wasn’t the trend-setter when it comes to young wrestlers striking gold. Former Brandon wrestler Sean Joyce, now at the United States Military Academy, became the state’s first pre-high-school wrestler to win the Class 1A 103-pound title, while at Temple Heights. Joyce went on to win four state titles.

At this year’s state wrestling tournament in Lakeland, Clark Glass’ teammate, eighth-grader Rossi Bruno, won the 1A title at 103 and finished 40-0, while Tampa Prep’s Tyler Liberatore, also an eighth-grader, won the 1A 112-pound title. He finished the season 40-3.

Make Sure They Love It

When Alexandra Gerecke talks about pitching on the varsity level, there is no fright in her voice.

“I’m not really nervous pitching,” said Gerecke, who pitched in AHN’s first 10 games, compiling an 8-2 record. She counts her 10-inning victory against Tampa Catholic as the highlight of her young career.

“It’s just a dream to get to play, and to have fun doing what I’m doing,” said Christina Gerecke, the starting third baseman, who played in a game for the Jaguars as a sixth-grader last season.

According to Murray, it’s important for parents to watch their young athletes and detect if their passion for the game remains or fades.

“There are a lot of elements that need to be properly managed, that’s all,” Murray said. “It raises the stakes a little bit for the parents and the coaches to make sure that they’re taking care of the person, not isolating the performer, not ignoring the other important aspects of youth development.”

AHN coach Roger Rivard found out about the twins first from playing Christina Gerecke last season and through word-of-mouth from parents at the school. It also helped that the Jaguars were in dire need of players.

For the Gereckes, passion isn’t a problem.

“The smiles on their faces, they are just having a wonderful time,” Ed Gerecke said. “They’re just so upbeat and positive about the experience. Just thoroughly enjoying it.”

Acceptance.

It is one thing the area’s top high school tennis players agree on as the best way to stay focused during a match, no matter the odds.
Accept that double fault and get past it. Accept the umpire’s call. Accept a winner is not going to be struck every time.

As the region playoffs continue Friday and with the state tournaments scheduled for four sites in Seminole County next week, tennis provides a true test of one’s mental toughness.\ “You’re out there by yourself against the opponent, and you have to stay in control,” said Jenna Doerfler, Winter Park’s No.1 singles player who qualified for the state tournament from Class 4A, District 3.

Said Gabi Celi of Lake Howell: “You get to a certain level when everyone is equal in talent. It becomes 10 percent physical and 90 percent mental.”

Gabi Celi is teaming with her sister, Daniela, as Lake Howell’s No.1 doubles state qualifier from 3A-6.

Central Florida’s best tennis players have their own way of dealing with pressure.

Gabi Celi remembers when she was down 5-2 in the last set of a singles match against Lake Mary Prep this season.

“I started getting angry at myself but realized I had to accept that I was down, come up with a game plan and try to execute it,” she said. “A lot of people fall into the trap of getting angry and let their emotions take over.”

Gabi said she got back on track by focusing on what she had done correctly in the match, such as hitting forehands down the line for winners. From there, she cruised to win the set 8-5 and the match.
Lake Highland Prep’s No.1 singles player, Adam Leavitt, is a state qualifier from 2A-7 and agrees with Gabi.

“When I’m in a hole, I focus on one thing that’s working for me and try to build off that,” he said.

When Lake Highland Prep was down against Lake Mary, Leavitt knew he would have to produce with his doubles partner, Jonathan Neumayer, if they were to amount a comeback.

“We were losing 7-6 in the last set but we stayed calm instead of getting on each other about our mistakes,” he said. “We came back and won 9-7 to take the match.”

Although Lake Mary took the team victory, Leavitt and his teammate showed what it takes to be successful tennis players.

“You can’t put too much pressure on each individual point,” Leavitt said. “The bigger scheme of the match is what counts.”

The main problems tennis players face are a lack of focus and confidence, said Dr. John F. Murray, a licensed sports psychologist from Palm Beach Gardens. Murray, a former player, has coached tennis professionals.

“At the high school level, there is a lot of variability in the mental toughness of the players,” he said. “There is a lot of room for progress because they are not very experienced and may not be trained well, but their opponents are usually in the same situation.”
Said Daniela Celi: “It’s all about keeping a positive attitude. I pump myself up constantly during the match by saying, ‘I can do this.”
Gabi Celi even goes so far as to say to herself, “I am invincible.” “It’s tough to beat that resistance that comes over you every single day,” Gabi said. “You wonder if your slice or volleys are going to work today. Even if you warm up fine, you still wonder.”

Olympia’s Levan Clark, a No.?1 state qualifier from 4A-4, used to get down on himself but now treats tennis like a game.

“I started doing better when I played freely without thinking too much about each point,” he said. “I know if I do something wrong, I can work on it in practice the next day to avoid it from happening again.”

The calm and relaxed approach of Clark is similar to many of the other players before the match. They said a jog to warm up while listening to their iPod relaxes them and puts their nerves at ease.
Doerfler said she has to envision everything beforehand to be ready to play.\ “I’m not too social before the match,” she said. “[During each game,] I just keep positive and visualize myself winning each point. When you’re in the heat of the moment, it really helps.”
Said Gabi: “You can have the most beautiful stroke, the best footwork and the best stride, but if you don’t believe you can beat that girl, you won’t do it.”