By Fred Gray, Clarendon Enterprise
Last week, Marijke Tiddens, a Dutch foreign exchange student from Germany, became the first Hedley High School athlete to win a medal at the state tennis finals, held in College Station.
On her way to winning the bronze medal for division 1A, awarded for third place, Marijke defeated Hayley Hunter, of Harleton High School (Harleton lies deep in the Piney Woods, just north of Marshall and Longview) 6-2, 6-2, to advance to the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals, Marijke was defeated 0-6, 2-6, by eventual state champion Caitlin Rothe, of Knippa High School (Knippa is located 50 miles due west of San Antonio). Caitlin also won the bronze medal in tennis for 2A last year. Ms. Rothe defeated her rival in the finals by exactly the same score as she beat Marijke, 6-0, 6-2, so a case could be made that Marijke could just as easily won the silver medal if the draw had been a bit different.
The only other Hedley High School athletic to make it to state in tennis was Holly Davis in 2005.
The blonde 17-year-old native of Holland, who lives with her family in the eastern area of Germany, just north of the Czech Republic and a few miles east of Poland, considers tennis to be her favorite sport. Her aunt, back in Germany, is a tennis coach and taught her the game.
Marijke’s father, Peter is a dairy farmer and her mother, Corrie, teaches English. Marijke also has an older brother and sister, who, along with her parents, anxiously await her return to Germany early in July. She will then repeat her 11th-12th grade year. She received no extra credit for coming to Hedley and learning about America and Texas, which she really wanted to do. She came because she wanted to experience America.
She grew to love her exchange family and Hedley classmates and will remember them always. Marijke hopes to return to Donley County in a few years and bring her mother with her.
Marijke was coached by Garrett Bains. She smiled when she spoke of him and graciously acknowledged that he was smart enough to give her pointers on what it takes to win, and then getting out of her way. Coach Bains also deserves recognition for preparing her to win, and then allowing her the freedom to do so.
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