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DESIRE TO INSPIRE: Usner coming out of "Little Sister" shadow
ANNA CLAIRE USNER HAS ALWAYS BEEN JACK USNER’S “LITTLE SISTER”.
She doesn’t mind, though.
“Yeah, I know I kind of grew up in his shadow, but I learned a lot from him,” she said. “When you want to be the best, you have to become obsessed with the drive to get there. He taught me how to work hard for things.”
Jack and his teammates won TAPPS State golf three consecutive years in dominating fashion, and he’s now playing college golf at Texas A&M.
While Jack has been at the top of the mountain in his sport, Anna Claire has forged her own journey and is also enjoying success.
“I started in competitive cheer but by 10-years-old I wanted to do something else,” she laughed. “My parents told me it was either golf or tennis. I was
getting tired of following Jack around with
so I started playing tennis. I got pretty good at it and it’s something I can do for the rest of my life.
“I made it to State last year, but I was the only one from TWCA. I was looking at everyone having fun with their teams. This year, I want to bring my team. I’m encouraging everyone to work hard so we can all get there.”
Usner is also a cheerleader at TWCA, hangs with her friends and shops, like most teenagers, but her true passion is kids.
“I’ve always done after-school care for kids,” she said. “When you are young, you always look up to the older kids who take time to hang out with you. I want to inspire the next generation. They will always remember you for doing that.”
Her plan is to study pediatric physical therapy at Texas A&M.
Following her brother isn’t so bad after all. He’s been her inspiration.
CHEERFUL COMPETITOR: Houston Christian’s Childs is the life of the party
When seeing Houston Christian junior McKayla Childs in action, one can vividly understand what she’s all about.
Her fun-loving and exuberant demeanor makes her an excellent addition to the vast array of teammates she socializes with, while also emphasizing her drive to compete.
In the Fall, Childs was the top performer for the Mustangs’ cross country team, indicated by her fourth-place finish (5K-20:46.49) in the SPC-3A State Meet.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Several months prior, she placed within the top-10 in both the 800m and 1600m race at the 2023 SPC State Meet for the HCHS Track & Field team, while also helping to guide the girls tennis team to its first-ever SPC Title.
“I kind of like them all equally,” said Childs. “It’s a little more difficult to manage two sports simultaneously in the Spring, especially with the practices that you’re mandated to go to. During the Summer, Fall, and early Winter it’s easier to go and play tennis at night or during the weekends, and double up on my running in the Summer.”
“Of course, cross country workouts are a way longer than track which gives me less time for everything else. However, juggling all these sports has really helped me improve my time management skills.”
So, what exactly sparked her interest?
“I’ve been a ‘tennis child’ almost my entire life, dating back to when I was six years old,” she said. “When I was twelve, my Dad decided to put me in cross country because he was a runner, and he ran with some of the Masters groups, which are basically like ex-Olympians.”
“He figured it would be a great way to keep me in shape and trained up for tennis, and he was right. From there, I started running competitively since the end of middle school.”
Given the standard she sets for herself, it shouldn’t be difficult to see how Childs is nothing if not goal-oriented.
“So, my plan is to eventually run competitively in college, but not compete in tennis,” Childs said. “Only about 0.6% of high school tennis players get that opportunity, so I know my chances of running in college are definitely greater.”
“But, I really want to keep tennis as a life-long sport. I want to stay trained up for it, especially because I have such a long background in it. It’s really such a social sport for me – it’s really fun to do, and I love all of my teammates. Being a good teammate is what I want to be remembered for – someone who was competitive, but still had fun.”
The 2022-23 SPC Champs -- Houston Christian Girls Tennis
Where might this ambition take the junior Mustang?
“I’ve been looking at Texas A&M,” she said. “My Dad is an alum there, so it’s a really big part of his culture and what he really likes. I know it’s kind of the exact opposite, but I also like the University of Texas, as well as Rice, Vanderbilt – mostly schools in the South.”
“But, in terms of what I want to do career-wise, I hope to enter the Accounting and Electrical Engineering field. I’m thinking about doing a double major with that, but I don’t for sure just yet, it all just sounds fun to me.”
Childs certainly has a bright future ahead of her. However, she and Houston Christian Tennis first have an SPC crown to uphold this Spring.