Sophomore Hayley Hall and freshman Kristin McKinney have been teammates a lot longer than just the beginning of this year's Ball State University women's tennis season.
Their friendship goes back even further. The pair's friendship started all the way back in elementary school.
"Hayley and I have known each other since I was in third grade, although we attended different elementary schools," McKinney said. "She played tennis with my older brothers, which is how we eventually met each other. She has been my best friend ever since."
Hall said memories spent away from the courts were what she remembered the most about times with McKinney.
"I still remember sneaking off to shop at Target together when we were suppose to be playing tennis," Hall said.
Hall and McKinney both attended Delta High School in Muncie. After Hall decided to play for coach Kathy Bull and Ball State, she didn't lose contact with her long time teammate.
"I was and still am very close to the Delta High School tennis girls, so I kept up with Kristin and all the rest of the girls on the team," Hall said. "When I heard Kristin was coming to Ball State and was starting to miss tennis already with high school being over, I suggested she try out for the Ball State team. I knew she could do it."
Having Hall play tennis at Ball State was not the only factor that helped McKinney decide to play here. Her father, Joseph McKinney, a professor of educational leadership at Ball State, got her involved with Ball State tennis early.
"I grew up with Ball State tennis because my dad was always taking me to their matches and encouraging me to hopefully play as a Cardinal someday," McKinney said. "I knew I wanted to play college tennis, and playing for Ball State would be fulfilling what I wanted as a little kid."
Though on the sideline due to an off-season surgery, Hall is still helping out her long time teammate and her new teammates as well.
"I try to help Kristin and all the other girls on the team out as much as I can," Hall said. "I'm really looking forward to getting back in the lineup so I can play more of a leadership role."
Along with the help of getting accustomed to playing collegiate tennis, McKinney is thankful for Hall's help off the courts as well.
"It's been quite overwhelming trying to get used to college classes along with playing tennis, but [Hall] has definitely made me feel a little more at ease knowing she was in the same situation," McKinney said.
McKinney said Hall was the better player in high school, but that didn't stop them from competing and making each other better.
"As teammates we pushed each other every day because we wanted to achieve our goals," McKinney said. "Even though we were best friends, I still looked up to her as a player."
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