Growing up in Bethlehem, PA, Caitlin Allen participated in “probably every sport” available. When she got to middle school, she took a special liking to tennis, and by the time she entered high school, her love for the game was serious.
After winning the state tournament in high school, playing tennis at Lafayette College, where she earned her degree in chemistry, and then spending two years as an assistant coach under former head coach Albert Paulsson, Allen now finds herself at the helm of the North girls’ tennis program, and she already feels at home.
Allen, whose father works for a heating and air-conditioning company and whose mother is a homemaker, graduated from college in 2005. She began her career as a chemist, working for a company in Bridgewater. After two years on the job, she decided she really wanted to get into teaching.
Around the same time, the assistant coaching job opened up at North, and she jumped at the opportunity. There, her experience working with Paulsson taught her many of the ins and outs of how school sports are organized in New Jersey. “The background work really helped me work out the logistics in taking on the head coaching position,” said Allen.
Usually, any coach who moves up from an assistant position from within the same organization will have an easier transition than an outsider would, but for Allen, knowing how to call the shots is nothing new. And, she says she’s prepared to continue the solid record the team has had over the past few years.
As she prepares to take over the reins, the team heads to its first year in a new conference, where it will face its fiercest competitors in Hopewell, Princeton and South. In fact, the crosstown rivals are pitted against each other twice this season.
Allen’s working relationship with Paulsson was not typical. “It wasn’t really the varsity-assistant relationship,” she explains. “We made all the decisions together.”
So when Paulsson called her in August to tell her he had decided to give up the position coaching the girls in the fall — he has three small children at home and wanted to dedicate more time to his family, Allen says — he wanted to ensure she would take the job if it was offered to her.
“Albert’s been here for so many years, losing him has definitely been tough,” Allen admits. However, “it made it a lot smoother coming in to already know playing strategies and having the girls already know me as a coach.”
Allen is confident in her team’s ability to build upon last year’s 11-5 record, despite losing four starters to graduation. “This year, it will be a great opportunity for the junior varsity girls to come up,” she said. “They’ve worked themselves into that varsity role. I’m really focusing this year on making sure they’re ready for this big jump. We’ve been focusing a lot on conditioning, so that when the third set comes around, they’re ready to play five sets if they need to.”
Allen decided to put freshman Danika Baskar, who was a standout throughout middle school, in the team’s top slot at first singles this year. “She’s very even-headed, which will be great for that first singles position,” says Allen.
Following her in the lineup is Melissa Traub at second singles — one of the returning varsity players who was at third singles last year. “I’m really looking to her to guide the girls, seeing that there are so many new girls on the roster,” says Allen. At third singles is sophomore Harinee Suthakar, who played first singles for the junior varsity team last year.
Then, at first doubles are senior Alex Dworksy and junior Avanti Dabholkar, who were among the top junior varsity players on last year’s squad. “They’ve improved so much over the years,” says Allen. “Their doubles skills have really made them a great pair for each other.”
At second doubles are Aneesha Raghunathan and Aparna Shankar, who are the only other returning varsity players from last year. At third doubles this year are seniors Alison Berg and Neha Gona. While they are not going to be in the starting line-up, they will serve as alternates during the year, Allen said.
“With Albert’s resignation, I have some big shoes to fill, but I have been the assistant for two years, and the girls are familiar with my style of coaching, and it has been a smooth transition,” added Allen. “I am very excited for the season.” Allen said Heather Orlando, a fellow teacher at North, will be starting her first year as an assistant coach for the team.
Allen says she is confident she will be able to build on the team’s record from last year. And the “Mercer County [tournament] is always the girls’ favorite time of the season,” she added. “I’m really hoping we do well. They should get a good seed and hopefully have a really nice tournament.” Allen says she also expects the girls to do well in the state tournament. “The girls are ready,” says Allen.
South Tennis. While North’s team has a new coach and some new faces on its lineup, South’s tennis team returns most of its players for what should be a solid team with lots of experience. Sophomore Ammu Mandalap returns to lead the team at first singles, while senior Leslie Norris remains at third singles. Freshman June Lee, who, like North’s Baskar, was a standout in middle school, will start at second singles.
Last year’s second singles player, Sahana Jayaraman, will team up with Larissa Lee Lum at first singles, while last year’s second doubles, Amanda Stanton and Mallory Wang will be challenged by Belinda Ji and Lindsey Joseph for a spot on the roster.
Last year, the girls made it all the way to the Central Jersey, Group IV state final, where they fell to East Brunswick, 3-2. Last year, Norris went undefeated with an individual record of 19-0 along the way. Her returning teammate, Lee Lum, was part of the doubles team that reached the state doubles semifinals. Stanton and Wang were also Mercer County Tournament champions at second doubles last year.
The team kicked off its season with a win over Trenton, 5-0, on September 9.
