2012 Southern Jr. Team Tennis Section Championships, August 17-19, 2012, in Auburn, Alabama.

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Bekah Harris/USTA Southern

Paul Lichlyter prepares to slam a serve.

Last Jr. Team Tennis Tournament for Lichlyter

PLAYING SINCE HE WAS 13

By Bekah Harris, USTA Southern

The last time you play in Jr. Team Tennis can be bittersweet. Paul Lichlyter knows this feeling now. With turning 18 in a few weeks making this his last eligible year, Lichlyter has the great opportunity to play in the Southern Sectional tournament. To end his time in Jr. Team Tennis, Lichlyter’s Alabama 18 intermediate team hasn’t lost yet in the tournament defeating Kentucky 18 intermediate in a close 29-25 team match.

Starting at 13, Lichlyter has played every year since. When the top player on the team moved away after the Alabama tournament, he felt he had to pick up the slack for his team.

Tall and lanky, Lichlyter said he will miss Jr. Team Tennis and his teammates he has played with the past three years. Most importantly, he said he would miss the team bonding he’s had with teammates. He considers coming back in a coaching role after this year.

After completing his senior year in high school, Lichlyter plans to attend Mississippi College, He isn’t sure what he will major in, but with the passion and drive he shows on the court he will be sure to excel in whatever he chooses.

The team’s enthusiasm for being the first representative in 10 and under section championships is infectious. See a video in which players from Louisville, Lexington, Owensboro and Versailles show off their team hats and shirts.