SRG + SCF = WIN

PC: NJCAA

For the SCF tennis team, each player has a different story on how they've grown up around holding a racket in their hands. On the team there are nine players on the team, two sophomores, two redshirt freshmen and five true freshmen. On the last feature story, I did on sophomore Brie Botsford, but now I will choose to do my next feature story on another one of the other SCF tennis team's other returning true sophomore: Sara Ramirez-Goncalves.

Ramirez-Goncalves is a native of Cancun, Mexico that holds citizenship there and in Portugal. Like Botsford, Ramirez-Goncalves began her career at a young age with a legacy and a difficult choice of a sport to stick with.

"When I was younger, I went through a phase were I just wanted to try every sport there was," said Ramirez-Goncalves. "I wanted to find something that I truly enjoyed and after going from one sport to another, when I was 10 years old, I got into tennis. As soon as I started playing, I loved it. I knew that it was the sport that I wanted to play and, in the future, compete. My dad used to play tennis when he was younger and he had participated in state, regional and national tournaments, which somehow also made me want to try it."

While she did continue to play tennis at a competitive level, Ramirez-Goncalves had to battle through many grueling injuries that tried to plague her from continuing to play the sport she loved.

"I had a multiple fracture on my right-foot which according to the doctors required immediate surgery," said Ramirez-Goncalves on battling her injuries. "After that I was not supposed to be playing tennis again at all. As soon as I heard this, I knew that I had to find an alternative. Therefore, I spent 6 months in a cast and other 6 months in rehabilitation in order to fully recover. After this happened, I am more careful and aware of my physical, mental and emotional health. There is nothing more important than your personal well-being."

Ramirez-Goncalves continued to push herself carefully at a competitive level and competed in several International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournaments that helped her get a good enough ranking for her recruiting process for colleges and universities. Ramirez-Goncalves eventually did receive a couple of offers from other colleges and universities, but turned them down because they did not fully convince her to enroll there and then made the move to enroll at SCF.

"I chose SCF because after talking to coach (Chloe) Murphy and getting to know her coaching philosophy and goals I truly believed it was the best option for me."

Upon her arrival to SCF, the first person to give Ramirez-Goncalves a "welcome to SCF" warm welcome was then sophomore Laura Illanes-Rodriguez, in which they had a special bond even prior to SCF as they both played in the same national and international tournaments in Mexico since 2016. In fact, Ramirez-Goncalves and Illanes-Rodriguez were very close than anyone can expect as well as then sophomore Camille "Cami" Portalier. She also gain a strong and close friendship with freshman Karla Menendez as they are both roommates.

"They were the closest with me without a doubt," said Ramirez-Goncalves on her friendships. "I consider both my best friends, and even after they transferred our friendship remains and I know they will always be there for me."

Illanes-Rodriguez ended up transferring to South Carolina Upstate, while Portalier transferred to the University of West Georgia (NCAA DII), but the trio continued to keep their bond strong no matter how distant they are from each other. Aside from Illanes-Rodriguez and Portalier, Ramirez-Goncalves was able to warm up to all of her teammates with positive mixed emotions.

"I was very excited, nervous and happy at the same time to meet all my new teammates, because I wanted to give a good first impression and truly hoped we could become good friends and get along inside and outside the court."

Ramirez-Goncalves continued to feel more welcome at SCF, but when the spring season went underway, she was destined to make a good impression for coach Murphy in her first match against NAIA Southeastern University.

"My first match at SCF was the first match coach Murphy was going to watch me compete," said Ramirez-Goncalves on her first spring match. "I remember I was feeling nervous and excited, because I was finally going to be able to compete after a long time and I also wanted to give a good impression on my performance."

Upon her first match against Southeastern and beginning of the season, Ramirez was placed at #2 doubles and paired up with Portalier while competing at #1 singles before transitioning to #3 singles and #1 doubles for the remainder of the season. Ramirez-Goncalves ended up winning her first doubles match of the spring with Portalier winning by a score of 8-0 against Angelique Myrtil and Gabby Marshall 8-0 at #2 doubles before securing the match point by defeating Sharian Ricardo 6-1, 6-2 at #1 singles.

Yet one of her talked about matches was against St. Pete College (SPC) in which she had a tough going against her opponent in which the Manatees won by a score of 5-4 thanks to her clinching the final point.

"I was playing against an Italian girl called Babi (Barbara Damiani)," said Ramirez-Goncalves on her most talked about match. "That match was the decisive match for the win. The feeling of clinching and getting the win for the team was one of the most exciting and satisfying moments of the season."

While tennis continues to be Ramirez-Goncalves' passion, she does like to do one thing outside of tennis.

"I love going to the beach and watch the sunset," said Ramirez-Goncalves. "I think that the sound of the waves is so relaxing, and at the same time the colors and the view are beautiful."

Even in her most memorable moments, Ramirez-Goncalves reminisces on going to the NJCAA National Tennis Tournament in Tyler, Texas when athletic trainer Kylee Bernthisel and assistant athletic director Loretta DeMonte joined the team, which she said was more enjoyable to have them there to support them.

At the end of the regular season, Ramirez-Goncalves would earn a spot on the Suncoast Conference All-Academic Team before heading to states and reaching as far as the semifinals. After SCF earned an at-large bid to compete in the national tournament as the #5 team in the nation. Ramirez would earn a first-round bye as the #4 seed at the NJCAA Flight 3 Singles and went as far as the semifinals before falling to ASA Miami's Irina Lapustina.

Ramirez-Goncalves ended up finishing her freshman campaign 13-4 in dual singles action and 8-10 in doubles action with Jamal. The Manatees would end up finishing tied for 5th place in the tournament. Ramirez-Goncalves does plan to continue with her tennis career whether as a player or as a coach.

"After SCF my plan is to transfer to a NCAA Division 1 University where I will be able to continue playing tennis collegiately and get my bachelor's degree," said Ramirez-Goncalves on her future. "Tennis is my passion. Therefore, it seems difficult to picture myself not playing at all. If that was the case, there is no doubt that I would still like to involve myself into the tennis industry. I would love to apply for an assistant coach position in a college or university, or for a position to work in management of the USTA (United States Tennis Association), WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) or ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals)."

While she does look forward to where her future lies, Ramirez-Goncalves can still focus on preparing for the 2020 spring season and hopefully another trip to the national tournament.