The Newton County Academy tennis team sent another player to the collegiate level when senior Anna Moore signed to play at East Central Community College.
Moore has already had a good career at NCA where she has played for a doubles state championship in each of the last two years and done it with different partners. Last year, Moore and Marla Graham, who also signed with East Central, lost 11-9 in a third-set tiebreaker in the state championship match.
“It’s really been incredible how she has developed,” NCA coach Pete Mazzella said. “She played JV as a ninth grader and did okay but wasn’t a standout. But she just fell in love with it and went to work at it. She started working every day and getting better. The next year, she played No. 1 doubles and was runner-up for the state championship. She has a lot of natural gifts but most of it has come from her putting in the work.”
Mazzella, who has sent several players to the East Central girls’ program, believes Moore will fit right in.
“They have an awesome team coming in and I would project her to be in the top half of the lineup,” Mazzella said. “On a lot of teams, she could easily play in the top three positions. She is going into a really good situation. They are stacked from top to bottom and that is only going to help her get better. She is going to be hitting with some quality players. With a couple of good years at East Central, I could see her signing with a four-year school, that’s for sure.”
Moore said she chose East Central for various reasons.
“It’s a great school,” Moore said. “We went and had a campus tour and I just fell in love with it. Dr. Stewart really solid it to me with his Christian values. That’s what really sold me on the school part. As far as tennis, Coach (Jay) Pacelli runs the team very smoothly. Have seen the players from last year to this year and have seen improvement in each of them and that’s exciting. Maybe that will be me next year.”
More than her ability on the court, Mazzella value’s Moore leadership qualities.
“She is a huge reason we have the numbers that we do,” Mazzella said. “She is such a good role model to our younger kids. We have been fortunate to get some good quality players and kids that are good role models. The kids see the having success and how much they put into it and it has just snowballed.”
Moore said she hasn’t decided on a major yet but it considering veterinary medicine or something in public relations or marketing.
“It’s looking more like veterinary medicine,” Moore said. “I’m just going to try to soak in these two years at East Central and then focus on my school.”
