Lakeside grad McClure looks to improve tennis game while helping others
Jul. 18—It's summer, and student-athletes are working on their games, whether it be football, basketball, baseball and volleyball, among the sports.
Ryan McClure's sport of choice is tennis.
"That's literally been all my summer," the former Lakeside standout said.
From competing in the Ashtabula County Tennis Ladder to spending time aiding others, McClure is also trying to improve his own game as he continues school and playing at the University of Mount Union.
"I'm working with eight or nine high schools players in the Ashtabula area," he said. "I love being able to share my knowledge and help these kids progress as players."
McClure said the players are of an intermediate to advanced level.
"I'm trying to teach them to enjoy the sport, have fun and try to find the positives," he said. "I'm working on having a good outlook. The last year and a half, my attitude has changed."
McClure is also an active participant in the ladder, a popular summer organization which has been in existence since 2012. He leads the ladder in doubles with a 29-6 mark.
"The ladder is great," he said. "I'm able to work on some things and able to help the kids I play against. It's a good opportunity to play tennis and work on tennis."
The summer is to prepare for the upcoming Purple Raiders season, which is slated to start in September with a few matches. The bulk of the season is from March to May.
Last season as a junior, McClure was promoted to Mount Union's first singles player from second singles.
"That was challenging," he said. "I'm playing well, I had a pretty good season."
McClure earned second-team all-Ohio Athletic Conference honors for a second straight season.
"It's a huge jump from second to first singles," he said. "At No. 2, the kids are at my skill level, now guys are playing better than me. At No. 2, I was winning the big points, but these guys at No. 1 are more mentally strong. They have an overall better understanding points."
During the 2023 season, McClure earned a 6-2, 6-0 win over Marietta's Elivh Perez, and dropped a 7-5, 6-2 decision to Ohio Northern's Tristan Munteanu.
"My big focus is winning the big point," McClure said. "I can hit with these guys, but they're winning the big point."
In addition to being the team's top singles player, he also teamed with Colton Mace to form the school's No. 1 doubles team. They led the school's doubles teams in wins.
Not only did McClure earn all-OAC honors on the court, but he was the lone Mount Union men's tennis player to snare Academic All-District honors, selected by College Sports Communicators.
The 2023 Academic All-District Men's Tennis Teams recognized the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom.
"I knew I had the grades, but it was a surprise," said McClure, who is a finance major. "That was a big accomplishment."
McClure still has multiple years left of eligibility, but is just concentrating on next season.
"My personal goal is to become first-team all-OAC," he said. "For the team, I want to build a solid foundation. I came in during the middle of a rebuild, but want to help with the mindset and drive to get them there."
