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Castle Rock High School senior and No. 1 singles player Mikayla LaFontaine (pictured) triumphed in a match with an opponent from Three Rivers Christian on May 5. The Castle Rock tennis team is 6-3 in league and 8-3 on the season.
Few people outside of a small group of family members and friends even know that there is a high school tennis team in the local area. Castle Rock senior Mikayla LaFontaine plays number one singles for the Rocket tennis squad and will soon play her final match in the Rocket red.
Four short years ago, LaFontaine showed up without a racket to her first tennis practice.
"I just showed up and hoped for the best," said LaFontaine.
"Tennis is an odd sport in the sense that it's both an individual and a team sport," continued the senior player. "When you're playing your own match its more of an individual sport but by the end you're playing for your team's win not just your own."
Respect for a game that doesn't make headlines comes with more than its giggles.
"A lot of people tell me that tennis isn't actually a real sport because you don't have to do as much work as some of the other sports," lamented LaFontaine. "This is how you know that they have never played competitively before."
"Some of my matches and my teammate's matches have lasted for over three hours," pointed out LaFontaine. "As a singles player that means I am on the court by myself for three hours fighting for a win."
This year's Rocket Tennis team has improved on a solid winning record. With post season play just a couple of weeks away, LaFontaine appraises the toughest competition at the district level.
"This year for sure, our biggest competition is Tenino and King's Way Christian," she says. "They have always been strong competitors and they always give us a good challenge."
While most of the spectators at the match on Tuesday were other players from Three Rivers Christian and CR, there was a smattering of parents, other relatives and fellow students in attendance.
"We always have our families, friends, and students that show up to support our team but our biggest fan would have to be our coach, Kim Karnofski," said the senior leader. "She is always there to support us no matter what the outcome, she has great words of encouragement, and really makes everyone feel welcome and a part of the tennis family."
LaFontaine has dabbled in other sports before settling as one of the best CR tennis players in recent history.
"I was a part of the cross-country team my freshman year that made it to state," she reminded. "I also played soccer and basketball my 7th and 8th grade years and was a part of the track team."
Unlike many young athletes, Mikayla comes from an academic background. Her father is a teacher at Winlock High School and she carries a top notch grade point average as a Running Start student at Lower Columbia College.
"I have a 3.9 GPA at both Castle Rock and Lower Columbia College," she pointed out.
Thoughts of college are not far from her mind as she considers the future but she also hints that at giving back a little to a program that has been a big part of her life over the last few years.
"I plan on attending Washington State University - Vancouver so I will be close enough to come back and help with the tennis program at Castle Rock," she said.
First however, she will participate in the district and state tennis playoffs, which may be attended by more than just her fans.
