Gregori ace McKay named Bee’s girls tennis Player of the Year

Madison McKay’s goals, short and long term, are written on notes taped in importance on her bedroom wall.

There are “the Ultimates” – to achieve straight As and continue to develop as a tennis player – and “the stepping stones,” which outline the process.

“It’s like a system,” the Gregori High School senior says.

McKay’s college choices are listed there, too, under two headers: surf/beach schools and fun/academic schools.

That predisposition to planning and preparation has helped McKay excel on the tennis court, where she experienced the best high school tennis had to offer during a sparkling three-year career.

A former Sac-Joaquin Section doubles champion, McKay, The Bee’s All-District Tennis Player of the Year, returned from a year off with a clear plan. Her goal wasn’t to bolster her credentials but help coach Tracy Moore build a program.

“My goal going into this season was to help unify my team,” McKay said. “I wanted to bring my teammates together. I made a deal with my coach – ‘I’ll play … if you can get us into (the California Tennis Classic in Fresno).’

“It was the best thing for our team. I’d get to play players from Southern California and the Bay Area, but mainly it forced my teammates to be together in a hotel for two nights. After that tournament, we grew so close. I even heard one of my teammates say, ‘We’re a tennis family.’ ”

And McKay was the can’t-miss older sister with too many accolades to list.

McKay closed her senior season with a 28-2 record, including a perfect run through the Modesto Metro Conference and MMC Singles Tournament.

She was seeded No. 2 at the Division I Singles Tournament in Roseville, where she won her first two matches. McKay beat St. Mary’s Hannah Ketcherside in three sets and then swept Rodriguez’s Charlotte Brennan-Crowley.

McKay’s bid to become the first Stanislaus District player to win a singles title since Davis’ Maria Sanchez from 2003-2005 was stopped in the semifinal round by third-seeded Lillian Okamoto of Davis.

“The best match of the year was the match she lost,” Moore said. “Both girls were awesome tennis players. It was like watching a college match. Both had strategy. It wasn’t just, ‘Let’s hit the ball over and see where it lands.’ Every shot was intense.”

McKay, who is being wooed by UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz and the University of San Diego, credits much of her success to her teammates and the chemistry they created.

In the past, the strength of her game might have been polarizing for some, creating an uncomfortable distance.

This fall, though, McKay says the cheer section was never louder, the support never stronger.

At the California Tennis Classic, McKay rattled off five consecutive wins in the second flight, beating three- and four-star players from Santa Margarita, Simi Valley, McClatchy, Buchanan and Los Altos.

Trailing in a few of those matches, McKay said her teammates wouldn’t let her quit. Instead, they helped will their ace to victory and wrapped her in hugs at the conclusion of each match.

“That’s where I saw my tennis game go to another level,” she said. “It was so special having my teammates there. The fact that it was with my school was really cool.”

Whether it was organizing a team sleepover, launching a campus club or methodically picking apart an opponent, Moore was impressed by McKay’s ability to set and work toward goals.

“She goes into every match with a game plan. She’s always setting goals for herself,” Moore added. “Whether she’s playing a weaker player or a four-star athlete, she’s always got something that she’s going to accomplish. That’s what separates her from the others.”

This story was originally published December 19, 2016 at 8:17 PM with the headline "Gregori ace McKay named Bee’s girls tennis Player of the Year."