East Webster has All-Star Ferguson

Over the last seven years, Pam Champion takes pride in the career she was able to have as the East Webster tennis coach.

Her teams won two overall state championships and nine individual titles. Players went on to further their tennis careers in college and accolades abounded. One of her most productive players in her time was Claire Ferguson who will

be one of those players continuing her careers next season at Itawamba Community College.

Ferguson started playing tennis in the seventh grade after she had participated in a summer program that Champion ran for Webster County athletes in 2011.

When Ferguson got a taste of the sport, she fell in love with it and her work ethic took over from there.

“She has really progressed,” Champion said of Ferguson. “She loved the game, hung in there with it and worked extremely hard. She is a great player, a great person. She's real involved with the youth and everything at school. She's just an all-around great person with a great attitude and outlook.”

For the past two seasons, Ferguson has competed for a state championship in mixed doubles with Charlie Brand. In 2016, Ferguson and Brand won it all but came up just short earning runners up honors this past season.

She's also played girls doubles and individual tennis while helping the Wolverines to two state championships as a team. Ferguson now adds All-State honors to her list of accolades as the Mississippi Association of Coaches selected her to today's All-Star Tennis Tournament.

“It means a lot to our program because it shows the younger players if you work hard, that's what can happen for you,” Champion said. “She's a little nervous about if she can compete on the JUCO level or not, but competing at the all-star game will show her that she can.

“I've had coaches ask me before if she's good enough to play on the next level. I've watched her compete in mixed doubles against the boys for several years and she was one of the best in the state in her career. If she can play against them and compete at the highest level, I have no doubt that she'll do well in college and I think she has a big career ahead of her.”

Ferguson and the rest of the all stars will begin competition at Parham Bridges Tennis Courts in Jackson at 1 p.m. She is part of the North team and will be coached by New Albany's Suzy Bowman and Northwest Rankin's Sarah Buffington.

Admission is free for the event.