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TWCA's Anna Claire Usner
TAKE 5: Usner soaking in Senior Year at TWCA
“I’m not playing in college or anything,” she laughed. “Maybe I’ll join some intramurals. I do love the sport, though—it’s taught me so much.
"Tennis builds character and mental toughness. Your coach can’t pull you to the sideline and take you out of the game like in other sports. It’s all on you, and I love that.”
VYPE caught up with Usner for one last TWCA media day—let’s call it her exit interview.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
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VYPE: What is the 'secret sauce' of TWCA?
Usner: "It's the teachers, the staff, the coaches. They're so invested in us as students. They truly care about our well-being and want the best for us."
VYPE: What's your favorite place to eat?
Usner: "I love Raising Cane's."
VYPE: What does the future hold for Anna Claire Usner?
Usner: "I know it's early, but I'm thinking about dermatology or becoming a physician's assistant."
VYPE: Your brother plays college golf at Texas A&M. What have you learned from him?
Usner: "I'm not as intense as he is, but his competitive nature has definitely rubbed off on me. It's made me more competitive in tennis, the classroom, and everyday life."
VYPE: What's your goal for this tennis season?
Usner: "I made it to State as a sophomore, but last year, I was so focused on grades and college applications that tennis took a back seat. I put a lot of pressure on myself in so many ways. As a senior, I just want to have fun and enjoy the season with my team."
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TWCA's Alexis Osterhaus
ON A MISSION: Osterhaus a central figure in TWCA Softball's stunning resurgence
With that experience under their belts, paired with the much more considerable depth the team features this time around, expectations have never been higher.
“Last year, people didn’t know what we were capable of, and we definitely made a name for ourselves,” said Osterhaus. “I feel that, heading into this season, we’ve polished off every single player that we have, and every fundamental behind what we can do. I genuinely believe that people have an idea of what could happen with us, but we have more than what they expect.”
Individually, Osterhaus was given a first-team, all-district nod for her efforts, in addition to receiving a TAPPS all-state honorable mention.
From the third base spot, she’s fine-tuned numerous recognizable attributes that’s made her the renowned player she is today.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
“I think I’m extremely athletic and quick-witted,” she said. “So, if a ball is coming my way, my reflexes are able to kick in rapidly. Not everyone has the ‘softball mindset’ sometimes, which just means being decisive in the key moments, but I just feel that comes naturally to me from my position.”
While some athletes have been a part of The Woodlands Christian Academy school system from the beginning, Osterhaus transferred during her sophomore year, from a places he describes as a “little town” in Maine.
Though that would be a significant change for anyone, the move has made all the difference.
“The whole reason why I moved from Maine to Texas was for competitive softball,” she said. “My freshman year there, I made the newspaper cover because I like to think I was something of a ‘big fish in a small pond’. But my family and I thought it would be best for my high school experience and better collegiate opportunities to move down here.
“I definitely think that it has challenged me because I’ve played girls who are better than me, which has helped me to improve and become more competitive. I see now that it was God’s blessing and I’m also just grateful to have been part of this community."