Goldman adds teaching to tennis resume

A longtime student of tennis and with about a dozen years of lessons under her belt, soon-to-be West Hempstead High School graduate Hannah Goldman recently earned her certification to teach others a sport she’s loved since the age of 5.

“I’ve attended summer camps for many years and had the opportunity to give lessons the past few,” said Goldman, who played first singles for the Lady Rams in each of the past three seasons and is set to attend the University of Hartford on a partial scholarship. “I enjoyed teaching and wanted to learn how to conduct a proper lesson so I can work as an instructor during the summers and in between semesters,” she added.

After completing a two-day course in April that included a comprehensive written exam, Goldman received the Instructor rating from the Professional Tennis Registry, the largest global organization of tennis teachers and coaches with more than 14,000 members. “I was surprised there is such a big procedure list to follow to give a good lesson,” Goldman said. “I’m looking forward to apply what I’ve learned.”

At West Hempstead, Goldman served as a captain for the past three years and not only provided the team with back-to-back undefeated regular seasons in the No. 1 slot but also a great deal of leadership, varsity coach Linda Dailey said. “Hannah’s a great kid and a terrific athlete with tremendous family support,” Dailey said. “She was an excellent captain and role model for our young players. She led them through drills and was always positive.”

At the school’s athletic awards presentation held June 5 at Pompeii Restaurant, Dailey said Goldman received “everything she could possibly get.” A five-year member of the varsity who cracked the lineup at second singles as an eighth-grader, Goldman picked up All-County, All-Conference, All-Division, five-year varsity, and team scholar athlete accolades.

“Hannah’s a smart player who moves well on the court,” Dailey said. “She has beautiful, consistent strokes and dominated the past two years in Conference IV.”

Goldman, who has achieved some big things on the USTA (United States Tennis Association) youth circuit and ranked No. 1 on Long Island for girls 16s, reached the quarterfinal round of the Nassau County singles tournament last fall.

“My main objective is to put the ball where my opponent doesn’t expect it,” Goldman said.

Choosing a college and a place to continue her tennis career, she said, became simple after a visit to the University of Hartford. “It’s an amazing campus and I fell in love with it,” said Goldman, who plans to major in Physical Therapy. “The coach [Michael Louis] made me feel like a part of the team right away.”

To prepare to help the Lady Hawks rebound from a tough season, Goldman said she wants to gain doubles experience since all players are asked to contribute in both aspects. “I just want to do as well as I can,” she said.