Rams Relief: Tennis

The extras are always appreciated, even more so when they disappear for a spell.

Colorado State's tennis team had the 2019-20 season cut short, then it watched as the fall portion of the 2020 schedule was withdrawn. Even still, the Rams continued preparing for the spring season. During that time, when a racquet needed stringing, that was no longer there.

And the reality of it all hit home even more.

We didn't have stringing this fall, which was the first time," said senior Priscilla Palermo, an All-Mountain West singles performer last year. "That kinda humbled everybody and made us appreciate everything a little bit more.

"I think, especially speaking for the tennis team, we appreciate everything they've donated. We get a lot of extras and extra comfort on the road, and it really helps us out as a team. Especially now, it means everything, even more than ever."

Donations from supporters and former student-athletes make coach Jarod Camerota's program run more efficiently and help build it up further. New scoreboards have been installed at the CSU Outdoor Tennis Complex – thanks to those donations – and the program is currently working on fundraising to make their facility video capable for all home matches.

It adds up, especially for a roster built on out-of-state and international players.

In a very unprecedented time in all of our lives, Colorado State Athletics and the Ram Club are asking all of our valued supporters to donate or make a gift which will have a life-altering impact on our student-athletes. The financial crisis is real for everyone, yet our primary goal remains to create the greatest experience for our student-athletes. Your gifts will help lessen the impact they feel as they pursue their athletic and educational goals.

"I'm really grateful for them," Camerota said of the boosters. "We've had Tennis with the Rams events in the past, and they've helped us a lot, and it helps us to get a first-class experience to the student-athletes where we haven't had to worry about travel and play where we need to."

The funds coming in also help Camerota provide upgraded training technology, as well as boost travel opportunities and provide insurance for international players.

For parents who cannot come to Fort Collins and watch their children play, it means the world to them. And the ability to do so will aid recruiting in seasons to come. With a program which saw great success the last full season competed, the desire to build and grow has not stopped, even in the midst of a pandemic.

That makes continued and future support so much more important.

"It's going to be huge for us, especially for travel," Camerota said. "We're in such a spot where there are only six or seven teams we can drive to. The money for flights and to be able to fly places to play matches. We're trying to make sure all of our players have the best collegiate tennis experience we can provide them."

The pandemic took away the ability to compete for the past calendar year, making the players so much more excited for the season to come. It will be pared down, but it is a season, one which will provide them with the opportunity to compete again.

For that alone, they are grateful. But the past 12 months has made them so much more appreciative of what they had before, especially for those who made it possible.

"Most definitely, 100 percent," Palermo said. "Even to rebuild this spring, but even just to have stringing for matches and just to be able to play, we appreciate that so much."

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Rams Relief: Tennis

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