Mitchell shows progress, part of improving Eupora program
Eupora’s tennis coach Randee Jernigan has to be careful talking about Walker Mitchell because the tears can sometimes start coming after a few words come out.
That’s based in large part due to the fact that Mitchell was starting out his young tennis career in junior high when Jernigan began coaching the team several years ago and she’s quite literally watched him grow up before her eyes.
When Mitchell chose tennis over baseball to focus on a dream of getting to the next level, Jernigan saw the competitiveness and hard work take off to the next level. She’s also seen him win and lose with class which has shaped what kind of player and young man he’s become.
“I told him that the way he carries himself on the court means more than any win or loss,” Jernigan said. “He puts in a lot of time and effort and pushes himself in a way that you sometimes have to get him out of his head, but when he makes those changes, he’s something. He can adapt well and takes a lot of pride in what he does.”
The work that Mitchell has put in has now got him an opportunity on the next level as he’ll be playing with Copiah Lincoln Community College next year.
The school is new on the radar of Jernigan as this will be the first player she’s sent over to Wesson, but she’s heard good things.
The Wolfpack has started off strong in 2021 with a 6-3 record and the coach likes the parallels that she sees within that program and with what they do at Eupora. It carries the traits that Mitchell is looking for as well as he continues to develop.
“I’m going to be really excited to see how he grows in college because I know big things are coming,” Jernigan said. “Their program is going to be similar to ours and a really good fit for him. They are all about winning, but they’re all about doing it the right way and I think it’s going to be competitive for him and push him.”
With four players from the last two tennis teams in Eupora either currently playing on the junior college level or signed to a program for next year, Eupora has taken off as a program and is moving in the right direction.
It’s turning into what Jernigan had planned for it when she took over and she gives the credit to the players that have come along over time. The hard work along with the talent the Eagles already possessed has made the job a fun one for the coach.
“We’ve had a lot of really good changes in our program,” Jernigan said. “The mentality of our team is starting to change. I’ve got kids coming in after matches looking for their data and it’s pushing them in a way that they’re starting to see what they need to change to keep getting better. They’re motivated. Every year it seems like we’re getting more and more motivated to do big things.”