The Bakersfield College women’s tennis team is serving up more than singles and doubles. The team has started the season with a record of 4-0. If you take the time to watch them play, you may end up doing a double take when you see Sarena Dickerson and her twin sister, Shabrena, take the court.
Sarena and Shabrena are 19-year-old freshmen at BC who attended Golden Valley High School. The first time that they picked up a tennis racket was at a National Youth Sports summer program at California State College, they said in unison.
At the time, they did not know that they would be playing serious tennis until their freshman year at Golden Valley when they both took a serious interest in the game.
At Golden Valley, the coaches noticed that they had talent and potential and advised them to get a private coach. That was the one time that they thought that they would have to give up because they could not afford a private coach.
So, Sarena said, “I prayed about it, and our prayers were answered in the form of Robeen Gillem.”
The twins met Gillem at the Martin Luther King summer league in 2005. Gillem offered to coach them free of charge.
Just about everything they do, they usually do it together. Once they decide to do something, they go at it.
BC women’s tennis coach Gene Lundquist saw them in a local tournament and approached them about coming to BC.
Sarena said that she prayed about going to BC, and her prayers led her to decide that BC was the place for her and her sister Shabrena.
They both agreed that their parents were happy with their decision because it would keep them closer to home.
Shabrena, who started the season playing No. 1 singles but has now been switched to No. 2, has a record of 2-2. Sarena has a record of 3-1 and plays No. 4 singles.
Shabrena and Sarena started out the season playing together in doubles competition at No. 1 and have a record of 1-1.
Since then, they both changed doubles partners. Shabrena is playing with Katie O’Leary and has a record of 1-1. Sarena is playing with Jennifer Kelly and is also 1-1.
According to Lundquist, O’Leary is the No. 1 singles player.
When asked about the team overall, Lundquist was enthusiastic, saying that he knows that his team is going to have a good year. He said the team has been improving with regularity.
“We have a very fine group of young women,” said Lundquist.
BC has seven women on the tennis roster with Megan Raphael playing at No. 3 singles with Pamela Johnson, Lauren McAtee and Kelly rounding out the roster.
In men’s tennis, coach Regina Csibi Krueger said the team is ready to play.
With a roster of 10 players, Krueger is optimistic about this season and is hoping that everything goes smoothly.
This is Krueger’s first year coaching the men’s team, and she is really looking forward to it.
Neil Wetterhome is the men’s No. 1 player and Chuck Provencio looks good at No. 2, according to Krueger. Krueger expects the best from those players and the rest of the team.