DONN BROWN

Lauren Mitchusson has stepped up from the number three singles spot for the Lely Trojans to fill the role at number one, replacing Lauren Embree who now focuses on the USTA events.

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For three years the face of Lely girls tennis has been Lauren Embree.

With all due respect, another Lauren would like to show that she can play too.

Lauren Mitchusson has taken the reins this season as Lely’s number-one girls player quite often this season. Embree is still around, but her decision to pursue tennis more through USTA events and travel tournaments often makes her unavailable for

the Trojans.

Mitchusson has stepped up to take the top spot after spending past seasons playing at number three. Even though the jump – by her own admission – hasn’t been entirely easy, the senior has not shied away from the responsibility associated with the move.

“I am a senior this year and I have four varsity letters - there are a couple other seniors, but they haven’t been on the team for as long and we have a lot of new girls,” she said. “There are two sophomores and sometimes coach tells me to help. They are pretty shy but they’re really nice and listen to me.”

The Trojans are just 5-5 this season, perhaps the result of losing players coupled with the in-and-out presence of Embree, but that hasn’t stopped Mitchusson from playing well, including winning her match Mar. 25, against Golden Gate, 6-3, 6-3.

Her leadership and success is not lost on her coach,

Kevin Smith.

“She hasn’t missed a match yet and is second only to (Naples’) Lauren Lutz in the district,” he said in an e-mail conversation. “She has played the toughest competition in the area with great intensity and has shown great sportsmanship whether it’s a win or a loss.”

For a player that picked up the tennis racket simply for something to do for fun, Mitchusson has found a her niche on the court.

“I used to play in the summers, when I was younger, for fun - I used to cheer and I wish I spent more time on tennis, but by then it was too late and I was too old,” she said. “You have to start really young to be at the level that (Embree) is; I really just used to play summers as a hobby.”

It’s not exactly fair to compare one Lauren to the other – the motivations are completely different.

While Embree has already made the commitment to make tennis a long-term goal, Mitchusson is finding success at the high school level by simply doing what she enjoys.

Unfortunately for the opposition – particularly when playing at the two spot – she’s still just as dangerous when it comes to helping her team. No doubt Mitchusson’s experience playing at one has been a big help when Embree occupies the top spot.

Despite finding success on the high school level, Mitchusson has no plans to make tennis a focal point once she heads to college after this season. Instead, she has placed an intense focus on her studies, and is enrolled as a student at Lely largely in name-onlyhaving been dual-enrolled at Edison College this year and hardly setting foot on the

Trojan campus.

“I feel like tennis is a really fun sport and you are competing for yourself and no one else,” she said. “But it’s something you can play for the rest of your life. This is definitely more of a hobby for me.”