Congratulations to Portsmouth High tennis Coach Judy Colman and the entire 2012 Girls Varsity tennis team for winning the 2012 Rhode Island Division-II Girls High School Tennis Championship, finishing a perfect season with a 14-0 record.  This is the third undefeated championship season in the 5 years that Coach Colman has guided her teams to.  As one of the first beneficiaries of Title IX, Coach Colman played on the first girls tennis team for Binghamton (NY) Central High and contributed to her team winning four championship seasons (three of which were undefeated). She is not only an experienced and knowledgeable tennis coach, she has been a great role model for the team. Coach Colman practices what she preaches and has taught the players to stay strong in the face of adversity and to fight fairly for what they believe in, on and off the tennis court.  She was diagnosed with breast cancer in the summer of 2011 and despite undergoing major surgery that summer, Coach Colman returned six weeks later to coach the girls tennis team in the fall of 2011 to a second place finish and a 13-3 record.  Not only has Coach Colman taught the team how to win (mostly) and lose (occasionally) gracefully, she has taught them invaluable life lessons that they can use for the rest of their lives. 

Although the team finished the 2012 tennis season with a 14-0 perfect record, Coach Colman didn’t talk about being undefeated or about winning each match.  She knew that if she did her job teaching the players and motivating them during practices, all she had to do was keep them focused during the matches. The results speak for themselves.  Coach Colman is a great coach, motivator, fighter and cancer survivor.  It is only fitting that Coach Colman won her third RI State Tennis Championship in the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness month during the year of the 40^th Anniversary of Title IX.   Portsmouth High School is very fortunate to have Coach Colman. Congratulations again to her and the entire team!

The student-athletes and their positions on the team are Kathryn Harper #1 singles, Skyelar MacLeod #2 singles, Melissa Ramsbottom #3 singles, Julia Harrigan #4 singles, seniors Mary Lehane and Kaleigh Mendonca #1 doubles, Taylor MacLeod and Caroline Farrow #2 doubles, Jamie Hole and Paige Colman #3 doubles, Phyllis Morral and Hailey O'Connel #4 doubles, Amanda Damon and Kathleen Brown #5 doubles, Annie Heffernan and  Libby Goulart #6 doubles and senior Rachel Amundson.