Jacqueline Bornt serves her competitors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: Steven Lindsay

Staff Writer

Jacqueline Bornt, a Hudson Valley Community College women’s tennis player, won regionals with her seasonal best of 8-0 and placed third at nationals from hard work, dedication and support.

Bornt explained how she warmed up for nationals and said: “In college we start getting ranked, so I look their name up and search their background. My parents help me out. I take into consideration how often they play, and then we get to warm up for 10 minutes every game. I’ll hit to them, feel them out, see if they’re right or left-handed, I’ll determine if I can use that to my advantage. I see what their best stroke is, if their forehand or backhand is strong, or both, their consistency. Is their serve good? Are they a consistent server? Do they have a good return? It’s great that I get to warm up with [my opponent] because it’s 10 minutes that I get to critique them.”

At nationals, her first opponent was the No. 2 seed, whom she lost to. This led her to being in the backdraw.

It was an amazing experience for Bornt though.  

“Best thing about nationals was having my family and Justin Hoyt, [Hudson Valley Community College’s] Athletic Director, [fly] to Georgia to support me,” Bornt said. “It meant a lot to me,” she said. “I was [also] asked to be the leader for tennis [and work] to better the tennis program.”

She explained how helpful and inspiring her coach, Denise Potenza, is for her.

Potenza is a well-known tennis player and excels at playing doubles.

“I was excited to go to practice everyday [because of my coach],” Bornt said.

According to Bornt, Potenza gave great advice to help keep her motivated throughout practice.

Although she got third at nationals, she is still practicing three to four days a week and focusing on what she needs to improve on.

She continues to work on her backhand and her approach.

“[An approach is] when you’re in the back of the court and you’re moving up [towards the net],” she explained. “I miss 90% of my shots that way, because I just don’t come up.”

She has been playing tennis since she was three with her parents who are both tennis players. They inspired and encouraged her to become a tennis player when she was 10 years old.

“[I practice] three to four times a week out of Hudson Valley [Community College],” she said. “Then I practice on my own with my family.”

When she was 11 years old, she won her first tournament. That’s when the love began.

Bornt is an early childhood education major. She hopes to graduate with a degree in early childhood administration so she can own a daycare.

Currently, Bornt is an assistant teacher at St. Gregory’s School in Albany, works in the daycare at the YMCA in East Greenbush, nannies and trains children at Tri-City Fitness.