LYNNFIELD — A lot of times, the most impactful leaders on a team aren’t the best players on the field or on the court. The Lynnfield girls tennis team knows that well.
The Pioneers voted senior Anna Schmidt, who had a standout career on the junior varsity team, to represent them as a co-captain before she had even played in a varsity match. For Schmidt, it was a huge honor.
“It meant a lot,” Schmidt said. “I was playing for JV until senior year so it was a big deal. Instead of just coaches picking captains, everyone on the team got a vote. I honestly shed some tears because it showed they trusted me to represent the team.”
Lynnfield coach Craig Stone said he couldn’t have picked a better representative for the program.
“Anna is very personable and caring,” Stone said. “She’s very enthusiastic, that one kid that seems to always attract a crowd. And she gives back just as much.
“We elect captains at our end of the year banquet,” Stone said. “Both Anna and co-captain Gillian Skelley getting picked was a great tribute. Traditionally, they may not be the best players on the court, but it was nice to see their teammates recognized for their leadership. It was exciting and we figured this year she (Schmidt) would earn her varsity letter.”
But with the coronavirus pandemic canceling the spring sports season, Schmidt, who is also a member of the cheerleading and diving teams at Lynnfield, never got the chance to finally play in a varsity match on the tennis court her senior year.
“I was so disappointed,” Schmidt said. “Even though I play other sports, I had spent all fall and winter looking forward to tennis. This team meant a lot to me and I think one of the biggest things is how close we were. Everything didn’t depend on varsity or junior varsity either. Everyone goes to all the matches and everyone hangs out together.”
And coaches like Stone also helped create that kind of environment for the Pioneers on and off the courts.
“Mr. Stone is such a great coach,” Schmidt said. “Everyone on the team appreciates all the hard work he does for us.”
That appreciation goes both ways. While Schmidt may not have gotten the chance to play in varsity matches, Stone still noticed her contributions to the program.
“Anna had an impressive junior varsity record,” Stone said. “Last year after being on junior varsity, I invited her up to the team for the tournament even if she didn’t get a match. I wanted to show appreciation for the effort she put in. She knew that she would have started her senior year.
“I sent a few emails while (the cancellations) were all still transpiring,” Stone said. “Obviously we’re all disappointed for the seniors. Then, I made sure to send an email personally to Anna. I wanted her to know how much she meant to the program and we were thinking of her.”
Stone’s comments about Schmidt’s “impressive” record are spot on. She burst on the scene as a freshman and lost just one match, finishing 11-1 in doubles. As a junior she finished 7-2-1, while last she had a breakout season at 18-3. Her 18 wins was the second highest win total in the entire program, second only to Lauren Grava (22-0).
While Schmidt sadly missed out on this season, she’s not dwelling on what she lost. Instead, she is shifting her focus to this fall when she will be continuing her education at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, studying neuroscience.
“It was just one of those places where I stepped on the campus and I knew this was where I wanted to be,” Schmidt said. “They have a strong program for my major and I got to meet a few people and everyone was friendly and seemed to love it there.”
