- April 19, 2024
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Atlantic tennis player Lindsey Zieglar. Photo by Ray Boone
Atlantic's Lindsey Zieglar returns a shot. Photo by Ray Boone
Atlantic's Lindsey Zieglar returns a shot. Photo by Ray Boone
When Lindsey Zieglar arrived at Atlantic High School for her freshman year, she experienced almost instant success. She never lost a match in her first year with the Sharks and went on to win a state doubles title with her older sister, Kristina Zieglar, as her partner. Lindsey saw similar success in her sophomore year, going undefeated in her matches and helping the Sharks advance to the state finals as a team before they were eliminated from the tournament.
Entering her junior year, Lindsey was expecting similar results: maintaining her pristine record in matches as well as making an appearance in the state tournament.
Her year didn’t go as planned.
The Sharks failed to qualify for the state tournament. And to make matters worse, Lindsey, the Sharks’ No. 1 seed, lost two matches — to the same girl.
Her perfect record was broken, and her loss in the district singles final ultimately cost her an individual ticket to the state tournament.
“I wasn’t expecting this season to go this way at all,” Lindsey, 17, said. “It was tough to take, but I have to come back from it.”
But if anyone has the ability to come back from a disappointing season, Lindsey, who has been a dedicated tennis player ever since she first picked up a racket at 6 years old, believes she does. She practices nearly every day with either a personal coach at the All Children’s Park in Port Orange or with her father, Fred Zieglar. The two hit back-and-forth for hours whenever Lindsey isn’t training with her personal coach.
But still, the void left by her sister was difficult — and will continue to be difficult — to overcome. Kristina, a senior, did not return to the Sharks for her final season. Instead, the U.S. Naval Academy tennis commit is focusing on getting ready for college.
Lindsey was heartbroken to not have her longtime doubles partner on the court with her.
“We were a great team,” she said. “We always did so well together. It was hard not having her there.”
The two were a complimentary pair. Kristina was the defensive player, probing for her opponents’ weaknesses and then going for the kill shot.
Lindsey was all power.
“It’s inspiring. You’re kind of speechless when you see talent of this type hit the ball for the first time. A lot of the times, we don’t see our youth motivated to be really good at something. It’s inspiring when you see someone her age dedicate her time and energy into this great sport.”
SANDI KINSEY, Atlantic tennis coach, speaking of No. 1 seed Lindsey Zieglar
That much was obvious to Atlantic coach Sandi Kinsey, then the head coach of New Smyrna Beach’s program, when she first laid eyes on Lindsey nearly three years ago.
“She punches that ball,” Kinsey said. “Most high school kids don’t hit the ball that hard, and most adults don’t even hit the ball as hard as she does.
“I’ve been playing since I was 7. If she gave me all she got, I wouldn’t be able to return the ball.”
With senior year on the horizon, Lindsey’s goal for next season is a simple one: to return to the state tournament.
It’s her last shot.
In addition to being a senior, she, like her sister, will be playing college tennis after graduation. Lindsey has a variety of offers, but she’s currently leaning toward Quinnipiac University, a Division I program in Hamden, Connecticut.
The chance to play in college was something she’d always dreamed of. But still, the aggravation she endured in her junior year is engraved in her mind. It’s tough to shake, but she has to.
For her team and for herself.
