Frank Couch
Briarwood Tennis
Thomas Collier is attempting to win a third state championship.
Thomas Collier insists he doesn’t have a favorite sport. When basketball is in season, he chooses the hardwood. When tennis comes around, it’s all about the racket.
The senior at Briarwood Christian School has played and excelled at both sports for the Lions. He was the starting center on the basketball team and has won back-to-back state championships in tennis.
Collier stands out — literally — on the tennis court. Centers on every basketball team are tall, but those types of athletes generally do not make the transition to tennis. Standing at 6-foot-7, Collier wins many matches before they even start thanks to an “intimidation factor.” He’s also never played against anyone taller than him.
But that’s not the only thing in his favor.
He ripped off a handful of advantages. “It gives you a better angle on serves, you can cover the court better, you get more leverage and power with a larger body and more weight.”
To add to the height dynamic, his doubles partner, Griffin Oaks, is just 5-foot-6, but that should not fool anyone. Collier calls him his “rock.”
“It’s just an awesome dynamic to see those two guys step out on the court,” Briarwood tennis coach Jeremy Mears said. “They complement each other so well.”
In 2014, Collier won the tennis title in the No. 3 singles bracket, which takes the third-ranked player from each team to compete in a tournament format. Last season, he took home the crown in the No. 2 bracket. In his final year, he is No. 1. He will face the toughest opposition each school has to offer if he is to make it three in a row.
“There are some challenges that go along with that,” Mears said. “Thomas is up for those challenges, so I’m excited to see where he goes.”
Those state championships his sophomore and junior years may never have happened if a lesson had not finally stuck with him his freshman year.
“My freshman year, I got to the semifinals,” he said. “I had match point, then I lost it. We were tied in games, but then he won two games to beat me, and it was just because I got really mad at myself. Afterwards, I hurled my water bottle at the fence.
“I was like, ‘Yeah, I have to fix that.’”
He credits his mom and his coaches for helping him to control his anger on the court, as tennis is a game that relies greatly on the mindset of the players.
“He’s really come a long way with channeling his emotions, and we’ve seen evidence of that in the success that he’s had on both courts,” Mears said.
Collier is forced to overcome the obstacle of not playing any tennis during basketball season, while competitors are gearing up for the season, putting him behind the 8-ball. It does prevent him from peaking too early, though, and he comes on strong at the end of the season.
“He’s played the best tennis of the year those last couple weeks in April, and it’s been perfect timing heading into the state tournament,” Mears said.
Collier has already determined he will attend Auburn University for academic purposes, and he will attempt to walk on to the basketball team after adding some weight and strength in the summer.
