Madison Shoemaker is making quite an impact on youth tennis in B.C.
The 13-year-old from Halfmoon Bay is now ranked number one for U14 players in the province and continues to pull in solid results at every event she enters.
Recently she won the U16 event at a tournament in Tacoma, Wash., while losing out in the semis at the same tournament in the U14 event.
"Just one bad match," Madison recalled.
She won a tournament in the U12 event in San Francisco last November and this May won the U14 event at Hollyburn in North Vancouver.
She finished third at the provincials this year and was also awarded the B.C. provincial sportsmanship award.
Coincidentally, her next door neighbour Phyllis McCrimmon won the award in 1930.
"It's a small world. Who would have guessed that two people from the same community would win that award," said Madison's mother Marion.
Last year Madison finished in the top eight at the U12 Canadian nationals in Quebec.
This year was another successful campaign on the national circuit. She finished in the top 16 at the U14 indoor nationals in April in Edmonton, and in August, finished again in the top 16 at the U14 outdoor nationals in Toronto.
She still has one year left of eligibility at the U14 level. Her goal in 2007 is to try to make the U14 and U16 nationals and finish top five in each.
That quest will start in January as Madison will play in a series of 10 tournaments over the course of three months.
"It's a tough schedule -we'll be almost living down in the Lower Mainland," said Madison.
To prepare for the gruelling upcoming season, Madison trains twice a week at the West Vancouver Tennis Club and the Grant Connell Tennis Centre in North Vancouver and competes in tournaments every weekend.
"Every Monday and Wednesday I leave school early and head for the ferry," she said. "I'm pretty busy. There doesn't seem to be a free moment."
Tennis on the Coast is also getting a push at the high school level.
Anthony Steels has started coaching at all three high schools with the goal of competing in the North Shore League in the spring. Madison is helping out with the team in Pender.
In between her tennis training, Madison plays soccer on a house league team here on the Coast, plays volleyball at Pender Harbour Secondary School and is trying to maintain her high grades in school.
It's a lot to ask and a lot of sacrifice for her and also for her parents. But it's a sacrifice the family is willing to make.
"Madison wants to get a scholarship to a major university," Marion said. "We've already met with several U.S. scouts and Washington and Stanford are definite possibilities."
The sky's the limit for the budding tennis star, it seems.
