14 SportsUnion | MAY 2019
Whether it’s adapting
to a new coach, trying a
new sport, or dealing with
limited resources due to
weather conditions in
Buffalo, Sikora has prov-
en herself by overcoming
these challenges on the
tennis team.
Four coaches in four
years can be tough for
most players, but Sikora’s
perspective and positive
outlook provides an un-
usual insight that in her
experience of having mul-
tiple coaches, each have
brought with them new
skills and abilities that
have enhanced her perfor-
mance on the tennis court.
Breanna considers her
current coach Matthew
Ondesko to be the most ex-
perienced and credits how
he provides feedback and
advice on how each player
can improve their game.
“From day one, Bre has
come into practice with
the right attitude. She
has taken everything that
I have taught her and ap-
plied it to her game,” stated
Mt. Mercy Academy tennis
coach Matthew Ondesko.
“She is a bright and intelli-
gent young lady – and has
a very bright future.”
Sikora’s bright future is
all due to the fact that she
can stay grounded. It’s not
easy juggling everything
that she has gone on with
school. Oh, did we men-
tion that she also has a
part-time job.
That is a lot for anyone to
handle. It takes a lot to be
handle to balance what is
more important - and just
from herself. She needs
to make sure she puts the
best foot forward wheth-
er it is with Pure Magic,
cheerleading or with the
tennis team.
Just recently, Sikora, and
the Pure Magic, competed
over Spring Break in Cal-
ifornia. It’s just another
feather is the cap for Siko-
ra during her four years at
Mt. Mercy.
“Over
Spring
Break,
Mercy’s music program is
traveling to California to
compete in Heritage Mu-
sic Festival. Over the past
four years, I have been in
Pure Magic show choir
and three years in Mercy’s
Women’c Choir. So, over
the past four years I have
been competing with Mer-
cy in Orlando and Ana-
heim. While these trips
are fun and we do more
than just compete, like go
to Disney, Universal and
the beach, I love going to
competition because it re-
ally shows how much our
hard work has paid off,”
stated Sikroa. “Pure Magic
starts practicing at the end
of August, so from August
until April, we are focused
on not only our songs, but
things like tone, rhythm,
dynamics and most im-
portantly stage presence.
After finally perfecting
our show, its competi-
tion time. The past three
years in Pure Magic, we
won gold medals and the
best in show award and
the past two years, Wom-
en’s choir has also received
gold medals. I cannot wait
to see the outcome of this
year’s competition, but I
will be proud of us no mat-
ter what.”
On the court, Sikora has
been through a lot with
four coaches in four years,
but she has always come to
the court with a smile on
her face.
This season, Sikora was
named a captain of the
tennis team. As a captain,
she has supported the new
players by explaining the
rules, demonstrating prop-
er techniques, cheering
them on, providing feed-
back and how to achieve
points.
This season, she believes
the team is stronger and
expects a more successful
year based on the team’s
focus on fundamental
skills.
“We are a very strong
team this year and have a
lot of potential,” says Siko-
ra confidently. “We’re all
strong players both inde-
pendently and together.”
One of Sikora’s great-
est attributes in her ten-
nis game is the ability to
anticipate the placement
of the ball. Tennis be-
ing a mentally tough and
highly competitive sport,
it requires a relaxed but
focused mindset to help