Senior focus: Tiffany Criminger

With some encouragement from her family, Tiffany Criminger began playing tennis when she was in middle school, and she said she enjoyed it so much she continued that sport in high school.

"They encouraged it when I was young because they knew how to play. I played it all through middle school and I kept excelling at it. This is my first year on varsity."

She played No. 2 doubles throughout the season for the Braves. "For most of the season I've been with Stephanie Underwood, but for two matches I was with Amanda Day."

Criminger says she has always played doubles, and when playing with a different partner the players have to talk about strategy and how they are going to play the points. "When I serve, the person at the net makes signals and tells me what they are going to do, and what their advice is, and I usually try to follow that. If the person is more to the left, I'll try to hit it more to the right so they have to reach further.

"I like doubles. I'm better with my forehand. I usually play on the left so I can use my forehand.

"My serving has improved mainly this year. It's better than it used to be. I can usually get my first serve in. I haven't gotten it down to where the first one is super powerful, but it's usually better than the second one."

Criminger said she feels like she has done a good job of adjusting to the weather conditions from the cold at the beginning of the season, to the warm weather, and the wind.

Tiffany said he has enjoyed having her sister, Tabitha, on the team. "Last year we were partners on the JV, but this year we're both on varsity in different spots," Tiffany said.

Tiffany Criminger file

Parents: Chris and Sandy Criminger
Siblings: Tabitha, Craig, Kent
Sports: tennis 3 years, football and basketball cheerleader

Strength: "My biggest strength is I'm quick. Since I'm quick, I get there but I don't always stop my feet. I've been working on that, getting there and setting my feet and hitting."

Key to winning: "Communication. If there are days and you are not communicating, the coach will tell us to communicate, because if you communicate it is better."

To win matches: "We need to give it all we've got the first two sets versus winning one, losing one and having to play the third set. It's better to give it all you've got the first two sets. "At our practices I think we do a good balance. We condition for a while which does help, and then we do the drills and play competition matches and stuff."

Home matches: "I like the home courts. They're nice." She said her favorite away courts are Seymour.

Being a student at BC: "I like it here. I'm glad I'm a senior." She is in National Honor Society, and is one of the class valedictorians. "I'll be giving one of the speeches at graduation. The reason I didn't play tennis my sophomore year I had a pretty full schedule and during the season I didn't think I'd be able to handle it.  Last year and this year I had good enough schedule to where I could keep my As and also play tennis."

Message to students: "Sports give you more balance, and it's something extra to do for fun. You learn extra things by being on a team, determination, dedication, how to work with other people, and it's all important skills that you can obtain by being in sports."
Future plans: Attend IU Southeast at New Albany