Aggie freshman duo goes from rivals to teammates
It could be awkward for two former rivals to play together.
It could even be difficult for them, starting college, to get used to playing as a doubles team.
But, although just freshmen on the Utah State tennis team, Andrea Hansen and Jill Smith have known each other, and been playing tennis together, long enough they can finish each other’s thoughts.
Smith recalled about last fall’s match against Utah, one of their first in college doubles, “We gave the U’s top doubles a run for their money. They were seniors and we were freshmen and we –“
Hansen: “– should’ve –”
Smith: “– almost –”
Hansen: “– won –”
Smith: “– beat them. Should have won, almost beat them.”
Hansen: “I think it kind of scared them a bit. It was fun to see the fear in them, like ‘We’re getting beat by two freshmen.'”
And the ability for the duo to think alike transfers well into doubles play.
Aggie Head Coach Chris Wright said it’s not always easy to find players who compete well together, let alone have so much experience together. And it’s a bonus when they get along so well.
“They know each other’s tendencies,” he said. “They’re good friends off the court, which doesn’t always make a good combination. But in their case they say the right things to each other to get each other motivated and stay focused.
“It’s just the comfort, not so much of the unknown. They know what to expect from each other,” he said.
The pair knows each other so well for the simple fact that they’ve been playing together — and against each other — for nearly six years.
Hansen said she started taking lessons in Salt Lake when she was about 5 years old “just because my parents got me into it for something to do.”
For Smith, she said she started when she was 11 because her dad played and her parents started her in junior leagues.
Laughing, Smith said, “Parents put you in things to get rid of you.”
While both of them were playing in junior tournaments and leagues, they got to know each other and traveled together.
“We went to Vegas, Colorado Springs, St. George, so we were kind of like travel buddies,” Smith said.
Once they got to know each other, Smith said, they started playing doubles when they were about 13. Then, junior high sealed their fate.
When they describe the circumstances, it’s like they’re volleying shots off one another.
Hansen said, “We went to the same junior high –”
Smith: “– yeah, that was probably it. We went to the same junior high school –”
Hansen: “– so we saw each other every day –”
Smith: “– and we got along pretty well.”
The pair also played together on the Skyline High School team their freshman year. But then Hansen decided to go to Bingham High School.
“When she chose to go to a different school, we were high school rivals and we would play each other almost every state final in singles,” Smith said.
Before playing against each other in high school, though, Smith and Hansen also played against each other in singles during junior tournaments.
“It’s kind of unique because we grew up almost competing against each other,” Smith said. “Most of the time we would hit each other in every tournament and play each other, and so that was hard to do. Plus we were doubles partners.”
When the two started playing each other in high school it didn’t create problems though, because Hansen said it was more relaxing than playing at the junior level.
She said their play in doubles was at a higher level than they played in high school, and that made their matches against each other easier because they were lower key.
“It was fun to play her because I could talk to her on the sidelines and afterward we would give each other a hug and be happy for whoever won,” Hansen said.
Smith said, “It wasn’t weird at all because we played each other so many times that it was just like, here we go again.”
When it was time to pick a college, the pair didn’t originally plan on going together. They were good enough friends and teammates that things started working out that way, though.
“I always loved being on her team and it was great, so I always kind of pictured going to college with Jill,” Hansen said. “If you know someone’s game, it’s fun to be on their team instead of against them all the time.”
Hansen and Smith said they sent videos to different schools they were interested in attending, but ultimately chose USU because they were both offered a spot on the team and it was close to home.
When one of them made a commitment, it finalized the deal for both of them.
“If Andrea didn’t come here, I wouldn’t have come here. That’s kind of how it was,” Smith said.
Hansen said, “It just kind of happened, but I always kind of pictured it happening.”
As freshmen for Utah State, Smith and Hansen have played in all of the team’s doubles matches and have each competed in singles. The duo is 3-5 this spring, while Smith leads the team with a 5-3 singles record.
Part of that success comes from the pair being able to do things to help each other out on the court.
Those things include motivation and making sure they play relaxed.
As for how she motivates her partner, Hansen said, “I always try to make Jill laugh because once she laughs the tension’s up. So I’ll joke or do something stupid to make a fool of myself so she’ll laugh at me.”
Smith’s approach to motivating Hansen is a little bit different, but she still tries to make sure they have fun playing.
“I try to pump Andrea up sometimes,” Smith said. “As long as we’re having fun together we play really well.”
Hansen said, “As soon as the fun stops the tension begins to build.”
In their time together, they have been through ups and downs, going from teammates to rivals and back again.
Whether they will remain partners is up to their coach, though.
“Who knows how long they’ll play together, but I’ve liked what I’ve seen so far,” Wright said.
Hansen and Smith are confident that they’ll stay together — especially after all they’ve been through.
“On top of that we still played together and we’re still friends through all of it,” Smith said. “Here we are, still playing doubles together.”
–slbk5@cc.usu.edu