"To lose a person like her has to break your heart. She is a wonderful coach."
Athletic Director, commenting on the impending departure of Coach Mindy Manolovic
| Senior co-captain Totty, the number-one singles seed on the women's tennis team and part of the number-one doubles team (along with senior co-captain Tara Sievers), continued her dominance of opponents on the tennis team's Florida swing over Spring Break. Along with Sievers, she also provided Oberlin's lone victory in Thursday's meet at nationally-ranked Kenyon. Totty lost her singles match against Kenyon's Erin Hockman, but was the lone Oberlin singles player to take a set at the meet. Totty has a 6-3 record at singles on the year, winning 14 sets and losing only seven. She and Sievers are 6-2 at number-one doubles, and Totty won her lone number-two doubles match when teamed with sophomore Beth Krupski. |
Leigh Ann Totty (photo courtesy of S.I.D) |
Armed with racquets, balls and fierce determination, the Yeomen will attempt to crush the hopes and dreams of their Kenyon opponents this Saturday afternoon.
Oberlin vs. Kenyon
Saturday, 1 p.m.
| Dana Brooks is a lovely college senior who recently taught a badminton Exco course. We cornered her at the gym just before one of her matches; she was kind enough to agree to an impromptu interview. |
Now that your Exco is finished, how often do you find time for a game of badminton?
I try to play occasionally - once a week, I guess. I play with my friend Carol, who usually kicks my ass. She's from Scotland.
How long have you been playing?
Since junior high, probably when I was about 13 years old. I was also the captain of my high school team for two years, and I competed in the Northshore sectionals for three consecutive years.
Do you regret not having done more for badminton during your time at Oberlin?
Actually, I do. I think that I could have promoted the sport more if I had begun the Exco earlier, before my senior year. If we could have been a little more organized and recruited more people, I'm sure we would have succeeded in building a strong program. But I didn't even know that it would be possible to play here until Coach [Suzanne] Garland suggested that we set up nets in the basketball courts.
Do you think that Oberlin should begin a varsity badminton program?
Well, there are not enough people for a varsity team, but there are certainly enough for a club sport. I know the people from class would be interested.
So what are you doing up so early? It's not even ten in the morning.
Fridays are really the only time I get to play with Carol. And the gyms are usually kind of empty at this hour.
Seen any good movies lately?
I just saw Payback at the Apollo.
Come on, that movie sucked.
Well, it was entertaining for what it was.
Fair enough. What do you think is the single biggest problem in the world today?
Don't ask me that! (She reflects for a moment.) People don't take responsibility for their actions -�they just want to blame other people for their problems. And then there's the obvious, stuff like homelessness and famines. But everyone says that.
When you say that no one takes responsibility for their actions, do you have anyone particular in mind? Satan, perhaps?
No, I have no specific person in mind. But you know what I mean -�everyone would rather sue each other than make an attempt to solve their own problems. I think that's a big problem in America.
So what are you doing for New Year's Eve? Are you going to party like it's this year?
I don't have any plans. I don't even know where I'm going to be living.
So you're not going to be sticking around Oberlin after you graduate?
I don't think so.
- Men's Lacrosse
- Saturday vs. Marietta at 1:30 p.m.
- Tuesday vs. Denison at 4:30 p.m.
- Women's Lacrosse
- Saturday vs. Wooster at 1:30 p.m.
- Wednesday vs. Gannon at 4:30 p.m.
- Baseball
- Saturday at Denison
- Tuesday at Bluffton
- Men's Tennis
- Saturday vs. Kenyon at 1:00 p.m.
- Women's Tennis
- Saturday vs. Wittenberg/Earlham
- Wednesday vs. Wooster at 4:30 p.m.
- Outdoor Track and Field
- Saturday at Otterbein Invitational
Copyright © 1999, The Oberlin Review.
Volume 127, Number 18, April 2, 1999
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