By Sara Vierra '15

 Kelly Lamble (KL) started playing tennis at a very young age and has worked very hard to build her career to what it is today. Playing for the Broncos is a family affair for Lamble, as her father has played here and her brother currently plays for the Broncos as well. Lamble holds this close to her heart because she loves having the support of her family especially considering it is something they all share. Www.SantaClaraBrocnos.com (SCU) talked with Lamble and found that through injuries, other sports, and sacrifices of things such as going abroad, tennis has ultimately surfaced as her passion. 

SCU: What age did you start to play tennis?

KL: I started playing when I was about seven years old and played my first tournament when I was eight, but I didn't really start getting into it until my brother started playing, too. It became a family thing. All four of us (my mom, dad, brother, and I) would play on the weekends, and my dad started coaching us. He would go out to the courts with us and feed us buckets of balls for hours.  

SCU: Were there any other sports that you wanted to pursue, also?

KL: My parents exposed me to a lot of different sports--judo, soccer, basketball--and gave me the freedom to choose. In sixth grade, I made the choice to focus on tennis. 

My junior year of high school, I suffered a serious wrist injury--the blood stopped flowing to one of the little bones in my wrist, severely limiting my movement. It was really painful. While I was injured, I joined the cross country and track teams. I really enjoyed running, but when I healed, it was a no-brainer to start playing tennis again. 

SCU: Your brother, John Lamble, is a junior at SCU and ranked 40th nationally in singles. Your Dad played here as well. What does that mean to you? 

KL: It's a pretty special thing that we all share. I love that my parents can come out to matches and support me.  

SCU: What has been your biggest accomplishment thus far in your tennis career, and why?

KL: Making the qualification rounds of All-Americans this year in doubles with my partner Maggie McGeorge was pretty rewarding. When we started playing together our freshman year, we were pretty lost on the doubles court in terms of where to stand and where to move, so it's cool to see how far we've come and grown together.  

SCU: If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would it be?

KL: There are so many places I want to visit! I never got to go abroad, so I'm hoping to visit Europe after graduation. 

SCU: What are your plans after college? Do you plan on pursuing tennis?

KL: After college, I'm planning on pursuing a career in financial services. I don't have it all figured out yet, but it looks like a lot of number crunching is in my future!

SCU: What are you feeling now that you are in your senior year of collegiate tennis?

KL: Being a senior is a very bittersweet feeling. I feel proud looking back on how far the program has come in the last few years, but it's really sad to know that I won't be here next year. I really want to make the NCAA tournament as a team this year; it's my last chance. 

 Go Broncos!