Carol relishes intense training

The CNMI’s Carol Lee is undergoing intense training with NCAA Division 1’s Georgia Tech. (Contributed Photo)

The CNMI’s Carol Lee is going through a different level of training with NCAA Division 1’s Georgia Tech.

Though the Yellow Jackets have yet to play a game this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lee said their practice sessions have been fierce and completely different from what she is used to when she trained off-island.

“Training has been great so far because the sessions are high intensity. There’s a lot of positive energy and strong team spirit,” said Lee, one of the four rookies on Georgia Tech women’s tennis’ roster for the 2020-2021 season.

Lee, who is pursuing a business degree at Georgia Tech, trains six times a week, two to three times a day. Her Monday tennis schedule includes an individual practice from 10am to 11am, team session from 2pm to 4pm, and court workout from 4pm to 5pm. Then every Tuesday and Thursday team practice is done in the morning, from 8:45am to 10:45am, while Lee and company hit the gym before lunch break, working out from 11am to 12nn.

On Wednesdays, the five-time Tan Siu Lin Foundation/Northern Marianas Sports Association Female Student Athlete of the Year checks into the Yellow Jacket’s track oval for their 6am practice, while she goes for her second individual training for the week from 10am to 11am. Lee will then report for team practice in the afternoon with the session starting at 2pm and ending at 4pm.

Carol Lee, second right, joins her teammates at Georgia Tech for a group photo after a training session early this month in Atlanta. (Contributed Photo)

Team practice every Friday is also from 2pm to 4pm and is followed by a court workout from 4pm to 5pm. On Saturdays, Lee and her Georgia Tech teammates have their team practice from 8:30am to 10:30am, while fitness training is scheduled from 11am to 12nn.

“Compared to the ones I had before in Fiji and Morocco (International Tennis Federation training facility), at Georgia Tech, it’s more about training as a team. The training schedule at Georgia Tech is more structured than back home. There are also more and better resources around the environment I’m in as a student-athlete,” said Lee, who received a full scholarship from Georgia Tech after her impressive junior tennis career.

The 18-year-old added that recovery from training is very challenging since they practice on multiple occasions in one day. However, she is up to the challenge and looking forward for her debut with the Yellow Jackets.

There’s no tournament schedule yet for the Georgia Tech women’s tennis program because of the COVID-18 pandemic. The Yellow Jackets used to begin their season in fall (September) and compete in invitational events. Then in the first quarter of the year, Georgia Tech joins Intercollegiate Tennis Association-sanctioned competitions before seeing action Atlantic Coast Conference in the NCAA and then in the Nationals. It’s been a while since the Yellow Jackets ruled the Nationals with their last championship recorded in the 2006-2007 season after they beat UCLA, 4-2. In the same season, Georgia Tech took its third ACC title.