Kuragami Sweeps Her Way to Top

Cindy Kuragami is the top singles player on the Savanna High School girls’ tennis team. And that’s right where she wants to be.

But she has kept that part of her life in perspective.

“Tennis never gets in the way of studies, but not vice versa,” Kuragami said. “Ever since I started playing, my family has emphasized studies.”

Kuragami, The Times’ Athlete of the Week, is a rare athlete who considers sports an extra-curricular activity.

Although there’s great money to be had by young tennis players. There are chances to travel Europe, play tennis and get paid for it.

But Kuragami says that such aspirations are a bit off in her case. She’s not sure if she can go that far on her talent and she is concerned about a college education.

She has been working off-and-on with a private coach and, more than anything else, has learned she must accept her limitations.

“I don’t have a strong serve--and part of that is because of my size (5-foot-1 1/2, 107 pounds)--but I try to make up for that in other ways. I’m working on placing my serves. I try to slice my serves, spin serves and I have a flat serve. It’s coming along slowly.”

Which might come as a surprise to her Orange League opponents. Last week was a typical week for Kuragami. She swept her sets, 6-0, 6-0, 6-0, on Thursday in a 13-5 victory over Magnolia, and swept 6-1, 6-0, 6-0 in a loss to Western Tuesday.

She also sweeps through her classes as exemplified by her 4.0 grade-point average.

“I’ve talked with some of her teachers, and they say, ‘She doesn’t get most of the points in class--she gets all of them,’ ” Savanna Coach Eric Hansen said. “At practice, she shares everything she knows and hits with anyone who wants to hit--it’s like having an extra coach out there.”

That is considerably high praise for a 15-year-old. Kuragami skipped the second grade and is still leaving her peers behind.

Kuragami has been a standout player on a mediocre team. She has a set record of 48-0 this season, while Savanna has a team record of 7-7 overall, 5-3 in league play. And the Orange League has an overall quality of tennis that tends to make Kuragami appear to be a big fish in a small pond.

Kuragami is ranked ninth by the Southern California Tennis Assn. for ages 16 and under and is 40th in the nation.

Including nonleague matches, Kuragami has lost only one set, when she was a freshman, at Savanna. In the past two years, her only other losses have been in the third round of the Southern Section tournament.

Perhaps what really sets Kuragami apart is that she’s not just another hard-working-athlete-student-robot type.

“Oh, she’s outgoing and liked very well by, it seems like, everyone,” Hansen said. “She really is a wonderful person.”

Not surprisingly, Kuragami wants to attend Stanford because of its reputation for academics and for its top women’s tennis program. “But I would weigh any offers I would get,” Kuragami said. “I hope my grades will help me get some offers.”

TOP PERFORMERS

Michelle Berkowitz of Fountain Valley swept her matches, 6-0, 6-0, 6-0, against Ocean View Tuesday and swept 6-1, 6-0, 6-0 against Huntington Beach Thursday.

Wendy Herb of Rosary had 31 blocks in a 14-16, 15-10, 9-15, 15-12, 15-10 victory over Bishop Amat Thursday.

Cindy Kuragami

Savanna High School

Position: No. 1 singles tennis player

Height, Weight, Class: 5-1 1/2, 107, Junior

Last Week: Kuragami swept her matches, 6-0, 6-0, 6-0, on Thursday against Magnolia and won, 6-1, 6-0, 6-0, Tuesday against Western.

Season: Kuragami has not lost a set this season (48-0).