Each Wednesday of the fall semester, we’ll be bringing you six different “Getting to Know Them” profiles on current student-athletes at Slippery Rock. Next up, we check in with Amy Varckette from the women’s tennis team.

QUICK BIO
A three-year veteran of the Slippery Rock women’s tennis program, Varckette, a junior biology major, has racked up 51 total victories over her collegiate career while producing impressive winning percentages of .750 in singles matches and .571 in doubles competition, all the while being a three-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete. 

IN HER OWN WORDS
Q: When did you realize you were a college-level caliber athlete?
A: Making it to state as a freshman in high school. 

Q: What’s the best piece of advice you have received? Who was it from?
A: “Life’s not fair.” I’ve heard this advice from many people, but my dad and grandpa have always brought up this point to me in certain situations when I didn’t get a position or spot I thought I should have, or if I was putting in more effort than other people who were getting better results. I think the sooner everyone realizes life is not fair, the sooner they all can make the best of their life with what they are given. We need to learn to make the most of the situations we are blessed with even if we do not think it is always fair. If we sit and pout about how something isn’t fair we’ll miss out on other opportunities being presented to us and we’ll never amount to anything. 

Q: Do you have any hidden talents or skills people might not know about?
A: I was head majorette in high school and can twirl batons/fire batons. I can play the accordion, the saxophone, the guitar, and sing. I also can beat anyone in ping pong.

Q: Do you have any pets?
A: I have a horse named Reno and then some barn cats named Hershey and Izzy. 

Q: What’s the most embarrassing/funny moment that you can recall happening to you during a game or practice?
A: When I accidentally nailed coach in the face with a ball and knocked his sunglasses off; we ended up having to stop practice early. 

Q: Are you superstitious? What are some your superstitions? 
A: I have a pair of lucky earrings I wear for every match. In between most points I have to go back and touch the back fence with my racquet. If I won the previous point then I try to serve using that same ball that I played that point with. 

Q: What’s your pregame routine?
A: Blaring music to get me pumped, nervous stretching, and praying.

Q: Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
A: In 10 years from now I hope to have my own chiropractic practice somewhere in the county I grew up in. I hope to be happily married and maybe with a baby living in a nice house with some pretty land. Possibly doing some sort of coaching and singing on the side.

Q: What’s the most important match you ever played in (does not have to be at Slippery Rock)? Why?
A: The most important match I’ve ever played was my freshman year districts match in high school to qualify for state. It was a very tight match that had to go to a tie breaker. My doubles partner and I really had to play well to win. We were up in the match and then the other team started coming back so we had so much pressure on us. This match was a turning point in my tennis career and without winning the match I might not have gotten as much attention from college coaches. 

Q: In your opinion, what’s been your best individual performance in a collegiate match?
A: My best individual performance was not in one single match, but was my whole junior fall season. I made it to the semifinals of the ITA Tournament and was beating a lot of players that I was not expected to beat. I was able to pull off wins in a lot of tight matches and some third setters against really tough competition. This was definitely the best tennis of my life.   

Q: What was the biggest thing that you were not all the way prepared for when making the jump from high school athlete to college athlete? How have you worked to overcome it?
A: I was not prepared for how often people get into fights at tennis matches at the collegiate level. Whether it’s between players, coaches, line judges, or spectators. There’s always drama in tight matches. I used to never get into drama in my high school matches. Now I’ve learned to not let other girls walk all over me when they’re cheating me and how to handle intense matches. 

Q: As an upperclassman/veteran of the program, how do you try to help guide newcomers on the team?
A: As an upperclassmen I always try to help the newcomers by making them feel as at home as possible. As a freshman I had a hard time adjusting to being away from home so I try to always be there for the new ones and include them in things so they don’t get homesick. 

Q: Top 3 movies?
A: Dirty Dancing, 8 Seconds, A Star Is Born

Q: What was your first job?
A: My first job was working at an ice cream place called the “Whip-n-Dip”. I still work there during the summers and just finished my seventh summer with them. 

Q: Top 3 musicians/bands?
A: Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Morgan Wallen.

Amy is also a musician herself. Check out her original song, “The Legends,” below, which she wrote to honor some of her favorite musicians and the legends of country music. 

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