WCHS senior Addison Beck signs with Bellarmine University

Woodford County High School senior Addison Beck signed her letter of intent to attend and play tennis for Bellarmine University Friday, Jan. 11, at a ceremony in the WCHS library. Beck played in the Midway University tennis camp last summer and learned about a valuable recruiting tool that was available to her called 'Next Student College Athlete'. The program gave her the ability to showcase herself to different collegiate programs, and that is where she found Bellarmine, according to Beck. "Once I visited the campus and had a tour, I knew I had to play tennis here," said Beck. "The whole process happened so fast, but I am happy with my decision. It's a solid Division II program, but its not just all tennis which is something I like. I want to study nursing and get my doctorate, but in case I don't go to medical school, I will have something to fall back on." Beck was the no. 1 singles player for the WCHS girls' tennis team last season and qualified for the regional tournament. "The biggest thing I’ve learned while competing in high school is never to give up," said Beck. WCHS Coach Stan Watts said that Beck achieved her goals by pushing herself in both the classroom and on the tennis court. "I'm not sure that people realize this or not, but to be successful at this game, you have to play year-round and dedicate yourself to the game," said Watts. "By all accounts, Addison is a terrific student and sets an excellent example for her peers. She's a good kid. Addison has been playing for us since she was a sixth grader and she's always worked really hard. She's been our best female player for a few years now. She puts in the time and has excellent strokes.” Addison said that one of her favorite things about going to Bellarmine is that it's far enough away to feel independent but also a short ride home if she needed something. "I travel to Lexington all the time for tennis, and so if I had chosen a school nearby, I probably wouldn't have the sense of starting fresh and independence,"said Beck. As her senior season of tennis approaches, Beck says that her team is primed for a big run this spring.

“We’ve been building toward this season for a few years, and I think now that we have switched regions, we can make a lot of noise and advance further into the regional and hopefully state tournament,” said Beck. “We have plenty of experience, and I hope it can propel us to where we want to go.”