THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 19, 1994 TAG: 9410190561
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 60 lines
Three years ago, nearly every ball Donna Self hit was a home run.
Unfortunately, she was playing tennis.
``Everything she hit went over the fence,'' said Booker T. coach Paul Palombo. ``She couldn't play a lick.''
``I guess I was so used to softball, everything went sailing over,'' Self said.
Softball is still Self's sport; she's an all-district pitcher.
But time, practice and determination have made a her a champion in tennis, too.
Self last week became the first girl from Booker T. Washington to win the district singles championship. She teamed with Sharon McClannan to grab the doubles title as well.
Self, who plays No. 2 for the Bookers, beat the No. 1 players from three teams to win the singles title. For that feat, Self is the Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star girls athlete of the week.
Self toppled Granby's Elaine McCall, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, in the ``A'' bracket finals.
Then she and McClannan combined to rout Maury's Jennifer Warren and Clea Caldwell 6-0, 6-1, in doubles.
``Coach Palombo got me to start playing my sophomore year because he said it would be a good way for me to stay in shape for softball,'' Self, a senior, said.
Self, who carries a 3.8 grade point average, isn't the type of person who takes anything lightly. Whatever the sport, winning has always been the top priority.
``She worked really hard to learn the game,'' Palombo said. ``I've never seen a kid that hated to lose as much as Donna.''
Self said she didn't expect to be in the singles final because she had to get past Warren, who had beaten her during the regular season. But Self crushed Warren, 6-1, 6-2, in the semifinals.
By the time the final rolled around, Self had already played the match over and over in her head.
``I thought about it all the time, night and day,'' Self said. ``I had dreams about it. That really got me up for it.
``I work better under pressure. If I don't feel any pressure then I don't think I perform to the best of my abilities.''
But that wasn't the only strategy Self had going into the match.
Self scouted McCall before the match and came out hitting everything to McCall's backhand.
``She's a better player than I am,'' Self said. ``I just played hard and was really determined.''
When Self is determined to do something, the competition better beware. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
by CNB