Girls Tennis Player of the Year: Oswego freshman Savannah Millard stood above the rest, exceeded her own expectations

Savannah Millard’s height, and her love for tennis, are interconnected.

And in more ways than one.

Hard to believe now with the Oswego freshman’s success on the court, but tennis was not always Millard’s preferred sport. Millard was a gymnast for nine years. She loved it.

But then came a growth spurt, and tennis became an option. Millard’s grandma had a tennis court in her back yard that she had always played in.

“I would go and hit with my brothers and cousins, and it would be fun,” Millard said. “I started practicing more and thought ‘This is so cool.’ I started my training, and fell in love with the sport.”

Millard now stands 6 foot tall, good height for a 15-year-old. And this fall, she stood above all others on the area tennis scene. She posted a 22-10 record, and took second place at No. 1 singles at the Southwest Prairie Conference meet, leading Oswego to second place as a team.

Then she took second place at sectionals, becoming Oswego’s first state qualifier since 2009. She is the Record Newspapers girls tennis Player of the Year.

“The season honestly went above my expectations,” Millard said. “I didn’t think any of this would fully happen. I was along for the ride pretty much but I took every opportunity that I could get.”

Millard said that being tall helps in tennis, as she is able to snap the ball better. Her tennis, at the same time, has helped her cope with the unfair outside noise that comes with being taller than other girls her age.

“I have always got bullied for being tall,” she said. “Tennis had made me feel good with how I am, made me see the advantages of my height. Honestly I feel like that is why I fell in love with tennis. It made me feel OK with who I am.”

Millard always played with older kids, although she admitted competing with girls three years her elder in high school took some getting used to.

“It’s kind of nerve racking,” she said. “I went into the season as an underdog since I was a freshman, that ‘She’s a freshman kind of thing.’ But once I kept doing it, and got more wins and losses, it became normal. I was playing seniors and beat them. It went from where nobody knew me and then everybody knew me.”

Millard believes her even keel, her ability to keep her emotions in check during the ebb and flow of matches is among her biggest strengths.

She has the letters “MTXE” for “mental toughness, extra effort” written on her shoes as a helpful reminder.

“Once I feel like I’m too up or down I look at my shoes, tap my racquet and reset myself,” Millard said. “When I lose myself I take a huge breath, breathe out, relax my body, visualize what I’m going to do and keep going. I try keep a good mindset and don’t let my emotions take over me. I’ve seen people’s emotions go up and down and I’ve never been that like that. I think sportsmanship is important.”

Millard’s success, and experience at state has opened unexpected doors.

She has been invited to a Midwest tournament later this month. If she does well there, Millard has a chance to go to a national tournament in California.

“I can’t even explain it, but it’s crazy,” Millard said. “I’ve always had my family supporting me. They always knew what I was capable of but I didn’t know it. This season opened my eyes.”