Being named one of the best women tennis players in the South Coast Conference, Lindsay Guardado, 19, nursing major, proved herself to others that she is one of the best when she steps on the tennis court.

Although she is only a freshman, Guardado has brought excitement to a team that went winless last year in conference; this year, the team managed to move on to the regionals placing second in the conference behind first place, Mt. San Antonio College.

Her love for the sport began at a very young age when she was simply trying to stay active, but soon it became something that she was really passionate about and something she tries to get better at every single day.

“My parents wanted us to play a sport. I tried (tennis) and I liked it,” Guardado said. “I just like the idea of the sport; people really get into it, and it’s all about the game.”

It all started when she began playing at a recreational park in Dominguez Hills, where she joined a program specially designed for minorities. Guardado has been playing tennis for more than seven years now.

“It’s not that I’m a better player but it’s just that I have more experience because many of them haven’t been playing for that long,” she said.

She has helped the team immensely with her experience and her attitude on and off the tennis courts.

“She played tennis longer, she has played tournaments, is more consistent and more intelligent on the tennis court,” Steve Van Kanegan, tennis coach, said.

The thrill of competing is what she enjoys the most, and even as the No. 1 player, she admits that she still gets nervous before starting every match.

During the season she has been able to develop a close relationship with her coach as well as her teammates.

“When she is playing tennis she is more serious and gets her game on, but outside of the tennis court she is just really bubbly and fun,” Mio Hosaka, Guardado’s teammate, said.

“She cheers everyone up and is really funny, she’ll make everyone laugh,” Hosaka added. “She has inside jokes with everyone in the team so she is really close to everyone.”

Guardado, together with Jourdan Jefferson, No. 1 tennis player of Mt. SAC, was named the co-South Coast Conference player of the year.

“It’s kind of exciting, I was really surprised,” Guardado said. “I wasn’t expecting it and it just made me want to do better next year.”

The coaches present at the South Coast Conference Tournament voted on the player, who they thought should be named the best player in their conference; the coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players.

“She is a really good player, has really good skills, has great swing, is consistent in everything, and she has a great attitude,” Teila Robertson, assistant coach, said.

Despite her success, Guardado never thought of the possibility of becoming a professional player.

“I didn’t take it seriously all my high school years,” she said. “Plus, I broke my ankle sophomore year so it took me a while to recover.”

This season she was unable to move to the State Championship, losing in the first round   in both the singles and doubles matches, but  she looks forward to returning next season and carrying this moementum from this year to the next upcoming season.

Her passion for the sport is something that she keeps in her heart and is something she wants to continue doing and encourages other teammates to play it as well.

“We were very happy for her; she is our No.1 player and works really hard, she has really good sportsmanship, and is the most valuable player on the team, we need her to win,” Hosaka said.