DUNCAN — Melanie Barnes has excelled on and off the tennis courts for much of her life. She’s achieved 4.0 GPAs throughout her high school career all while playing tennis for the Lady Demons and competing in the No. 1 singles slot.

Tuesday night was just another ordinary night for Barnes, as she anticpated playing in the 2010 Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State Tennis Tournament at Oral Roberts University.

Suddenly ordinary turned into extraordinary.

Prior to the beginning of the matches, the OCA announced its winner for the 2010 OCA Tennis Scholarship worth $500, awarded to one boy and girl tennis player. Players were nominated by coaches and the OCA voted on the winners.

To Barnes’ surprise, the girl’s winner was her.

“I was really excited because that’s $500 and it’s $250 from Oklahoma tennis coaches and then the USTA matches that,” Barnes said.

“It’s pretty nice and I was so happy that they chose me, because they (coaches) had to vote on it. That was really humbling.”

She would have been satisfied with just winning the scholarship, but the OCA presented another award. This one perhaps a little more prestigious.

Barnes was honored with the Jim Thorpe Association’s All-State Tennis Player of the Year award as the best girl’s tennis player in the state for 2010.

“I was completely shocked because I had no idea that I was going to get that at all,” said Barnes. “It was really thrilling because I absolutely had no clue that I was even nominated, my dad (Duncan coach Phil Barnes) didn’t tell me. I was just really happy and surprised because there’s so many other girls that could have won it. I’m just really honored.”

According to Phil Barnes, he checked with Duncan athletic director Burl White to find out if any other DHS player had won the award. As far as they both know, the only other winner from Duncan was boy’s tennis player Bobby Armstrong in 1995.

“I know that in 1995 a boy won, Bobby Armstrong,” he said. “As far as I know, and I talked to Burl today and he doesn’t think we have any other in any sport, that we know of. We were shocked, it’s a very prestigious honor, very unexpected. It’s based on athletic acheivements, academic acheivements, and character.

“Melanie’s excelled in athletics and academics, and it’s a huge honor. I didn’t know until Burl told me that no other sport has a winner, except for the other boy. It’s an unbelievable honor, I keep coming back to that but it was a shock and to me what’s really nice about it is it’s the tennis coaches who nominate you, but then it goes to a different committee who looks at everything.”

After the presentation of awards, Barnes stepped right back into her comfort zone. She partnered with teammate Kate LeValley for a doubles match to begin the tournament for the West team and the duo beat the East’s Brooke Gunter and Kristin Richardson, both from Claremore, 8-5. In singles play, Barnes beat  Samantha Fuller from Cascia Hall, 8-1. LeValley won her match against Madison Whitworth from Ada, 8-2. The West girls went on to win the tournament 11-1.

“I went and played doubles with Kate and we played really well,” Melanie Barnes said. “I think winning the awards might have motivated me to play better because I wanted to prove myself.”

Barnes said she’s attended the All-State Tournament since she was 7 years old and nearly had to pinch herself that she was playing.

“It was really weird because I watched (the All-State Tournament) so many years, I just couldn’t believe the whole time I was actually playing in it,” she said, “and when it was over I couldn’t believe it. I got my ring and that was about it. It was crazy.”

Phil Barnes said he was happy to see the girls end their careers on a high note and for Melanie to win the awards.

“Like I’ve said before, these two kids have accomplished all kinds of things and it was no shock for them to win their All-State games,” he said. “I’m pretty sure both Melanie and Kate were nominated for both awards. I’m really thrilled, it was completely unexpected for Melanie to win. This is not only an honor for her, but it’s an honor for the entire Duncan tennis program.”



— Ben Whitehead is the sports editor for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 255-5354, Ext. 165, or via e-mail at ben.whitehead@duncanbanner.com.