Memories of success: Tennis player, runner leaves mark at Seymour

March 22, 2017

For The Tribune

When Megan Baurle looks back on her cross-country and tennis careers at Seymour High School, she said there will be countless memories.

The senior has been involved in both sports since seventh grade.

“I’m going to remember the bus rides, friends made and sectional, conference and tournament wins,” Baurle said.

Baurle is beginning her fourth season in the varsity lineup with the tennis team.

She played No. 2 doubles her freshman year then at No. 3 singles her sophomore year and No. 2 singles last spring.

“I enjoy doubles a little bit more because you have a teammate that can help cheer and encourage you if you get down,” Baurle said. “Communication is key with doubles. You and your partner need to be talking … during the match.”

Baurle has helped the Owls achieve outstanding success the past three seasons with three straight sectional trophies.

Seymour also won the Hoosier Hills Conference Tournament in 2015, and Baurle was All-HHC honorable mention the past two years, plus she was named all-district last year and took home the mental attitude award her freshman year.

Baurle’s biggest highlight win came during her freshman year.

“My freshman year, going to regionals and playing No. 2 doubles with Lindsey Hume,” Baurle recalled. “We were playing Columbus North and pulled out a tight win.”

Baurle said she likes to stay back and force her opponent to make a mistake.

She enjoys home matches and the Shelbyville Tournament.

“Home matches are my favorite,” Baurle said. “I enjoy the seeing different people in the community at the matches. I enjoy playing (at Shelbyville) because we go to their tournament. It is fun to be with your friends all day cheering each other on.”

Consistency is a key for success in tennis, Baurle said.

“Practice is what makes you better in the sport, so it’s important to give 110 percent when practicing,” Baurle said. “What you put out on practice is what you get during the match.

“Staying mentally tough is key but also hard to achieve. When playing a match I’m always talking to myself trying to keep myself mentally tough even if I’m down.”

Baurle enjoyed her time on cross-country courses.

“I decided to run so I could get involved with my friends,” Baurle said. “After you have a couple meets you start to get a feel of how hard you need to push yourself during different parts of the race. I tried to run my first mile around seven minutes and my career-best is somewhere around 23 minutes.”

Baurle preferred running on flat courses and enjoyed Brown County.

“The course just goes by really fast for me, and you are competing against a bunch of other schools,” Baurle said.

She said career highlight was in her final year with the team.

“My senior year when I ran my personal record at conference, which was at Bedford,” Baurle recalled. “I enjoyed running against several schools because you have more competition.”

She said she has enjoyed attending SHS.

“It’s been a great four years of my life, and I’m thankful for all the opportunities I’ve had,” Baurle said.

[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Baurle File” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]

Name: Megan Baurle

School: Seymour High School

Parents: Deryk and Jill Baurle

Siblings: Evan, Madalyn

Sports: Tennis, four years; cross-country, four years

Athletics highlight: Tennis — 3-time sectional champions, HHC champions 2015, two-time all-conference honorable mention, 2016 all-district, 2014 mental attitude

Organizations: Student government, D.A.R.E Role model, National Honor Society nominee

Plans after high school: Attend Ball State University, study environmental management or wildlife biology and conservation

No posts to display