Day: Making the Transition
October 13, 2003 01:49 PM | General
Return to Mountaineer Illustrated
October 11, 2003
When sophomore Melissa Day signed on to be a member of the West Virginia University women's tennis team last fall, the multi-sport star from Ballarat, Australia, knew very little about life in the United States, much less West Virginia.
Thanks in large part to a flawless sales pitch from head coach Dan Silverstein, along with Day's own infatuation with West Virginia's mountainous terrain, the former Loreto College phenom now plays a leading role on this year's youthful yet talent-laden team.
"Coach Silverstein talked me into it," Day recalls. "There was this bloke back home that organizes people from Australia to get scholarships in the United States. He e-mailed coach Silverstein about me and then coach started e-mailing me. I began to think, ‘that place looks pretty cool,' plus I like the mountains."
Day's parents were extremely nervous about their daughter going to school in another country, but were also excited at the opportunities being presented to her in Morgantown.
"They were excited for me but also nervous," she says with a grin. "I think they were worried about the flight over and me getting through the Los Angeles airport more than anything though."
Despite any initial concerns about adapting to a new home, climate and culture, Day took the challenge head on and fit into Morgantown's lifestyle right away.
"It's been different but I've kept busy," the teaching education major says. "We practice a lot and I have a lot of friends on the team. The people here are really fun and nice. I also love the mountains and snow so it's been a lot easier than I would have thought."
Although Day has adapted extremely well to life in the United States, there are still certain things she misses about living in her native country.
"I really miss the beach as well as not being able to enjoy summer," she says. "I am in the winter year-round. When I am here for school, it's winter time, and when I go home for the summer, it's winter in Australia."
Day's play on the court, on the other hand, has been anything but cold since her arrival at WVU last fall. As a freshman, she finished second in flight B singles and first with fellow freshman Raynie Theis in flight B doubles at the 2002 Martha Thorn Invitational. She and Theis also captured the flight B doubles title at the Eastern Collegiate Women's Tennis Championships.
"I think I've got a lot of energy and I try to take that energy onto the court with me every time I play," she says. "I am pretty aggressive. I like to finish the points off quickly and get on to the next one."
To top off a stellar freshman campaign, Day was awarded the outstanding athlete and Martha T. Thorn awards for her commitment and achievements as a member of the WVU tennis team. Day and her teammates have remained committed over the off season and continue to work hard in an effort to be in top condition for the upcoming season.
"We're doing a lot of conditioning and spend a lot of time practicing," she says. "We are also working to get stronger to prevent any injuries."
If the 2003-04 opener is any indication of what Mountaineer fans are to expect out of an experienced Melissa Day, this season guarantees to be memorable. At the 2003 Martha Thorn Invitational, Day won the flight A singles championship and also teamed up with Theis to win the flight A doubles title. In Day's eyes, this year will be about more than individual accomplishments. The talented sophomore prefers to focus on the team's goals and believes that this group has the potential to be one of the better WVU teams in recent memory.
"I think we have a really good team," she says enthusiastically. "I'm really excited because there are a lot of good freshmen and we've got a couple of seniors like Jenny (Watkins) and Courtney (Howell) who are going to do really well because of their experience. I think we should have a really good season."
When Day began her tenure at WVU a year ago, she set several goals for herself, both academically and athletically.
"In school, I want to maintain at least a 3.5 GPA," she says. "In terms of tennis, I'd like to make it to the NCAA Championships and have our team ranked in the Top 75. I want to help bring recognition to our team as well as the state of West Virginia."
Day's long-term goals include being a high school teacher and possibly going into coaching as well.
"I'd like to go back and teach at my high school in Australia," she says with her ever-present smile. "At the same time though, I think being a college tennis coach would be pretty cool."
No matter what path Day decides to take following graduation, Mountaineer fans can be sure that she will make the most of her time in Morgantown as she begins her quest to take West Virginia tennis to the forefront of the national spotlight.
Jarrod Sudduth is a student assistant in the West Virginia University sports communications office.
