Girls' Tennis

MAPL CHAMPS

2010, 2017

NJ PREP CHAMPIONS

2010

Girls’ tennis has been a popular sport at Blair, and we have had much success over the past decade, including Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) and New Jersey state prep “A” championships in 2010.

Our season begins in late August with a rigorous—but fun—pre-season camp for varsity candidates, designed to improve stamina and build team unity. Regular-season practices last for approximately two hours after school and include conditioning, drills, use of a ball machine, videotaping of strokes and match play. Our practices and matches take place in Blair’s modern and well-designed tennis complex, which features nine Deco-Turf II courts. These courts have the same surface as the courts on which the U.S. Open is contested.

We play a challenging schedule of 17-20 dual matches, competing against MAPL rivals Peddie, Hun, Lawrenceville, Hill and Mercersburg, in addition to taking on some of the toughest teams throughout the state, including Newark Academy and Montclair Kimberley Academy. Our season culminates on Peddie Day when, along with all of Blair’s fall athletic teams, we vie with arch-rival Peddie for the coveted Kelley-Potter Cup.

About Coach Clairmont

Paul (Chadd) Clairmont ’09 became the new head varsity girls' tennis coach in 2022. Appointed to Blair’s faculty in 2020, he earned bachelor’s degrees in mathematics and computer science at Rollins College in 2014. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree in secondary school mathematics education at Columbia University’s Teachers College. An experienced programmer, he has worked as a web developer and a coding instructor for elementary-age children. Chadd’s athletic interests include golf, soccer and tennis. He teaches algebra 2 and statistics at Blair and resides in Paul House.

About Coach Cronin

Courtney Cronin serves as the assistant girls' varsity tennis coach and assistant girls' varsity lacrosse coach. She came to Blair in 2022 as Associate Dean of College Counseling and a Blair lacrosse coach. In addition to her experience at Thacher School in Ojai, California, as Associate Director of College Counseling, head girls’ varsity lacrosse and dorm parent, Courtney worked for eight years as a college counselor, French teacher and girls’ lacrosse coach at Lawrence Academy in Groton, Massachusetts, where she also served as language department chair. Courtney graduated from Colby College, where she majored in French studies and history, and earned her master’s degree in independent school leadership from the Klingenstein Center at Columbia University’s Teachers College in 2017. In addition to serving as an advisor and mentor to students at Thacher, she also co-leads adult and student anti-ractist groups and ally spaces. At Lawrence, Courtney also served as dorm head, chaperoned “Winterim” trips to Belize, Peru and Ecuador, and chaired the Professional Development Committee. She joins the Blair community with her dog, Coach.

View directions to athletic events. To read recaps about past events, go to the "Team News" tab above.

View more photos from the 2022 season on Blair's Photoshelter.

The JV girls’ tennis team practices for 90 minutes after school and workouts include conditioning, drills, use of a ball machine and match play. Our practices and matches take place in Blair’s modern and well-designed tennis complex, which features nine Deco-Turf II courts.

We play a challenging schedule of approximately 15 dual matches, competing against Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) rivals Peddie, Hun, Lawrenceville, Hill and Mercersburg, in addition to taking on local public schools and independent schools, including Newark Academy and Princeton Day School. Our season culminates on Peddie Day when, along with all of Blair’s fall athletic teams, we vie with arch-rival Peddie for the coveted Kelley-Potter Cup.

About Coach Sykes

Head coach Kate Sykes, appointed in 2003, serves as chair of the fine arts department. Kate teaches all levels of ceramics, sculpture and graphic arts and prepares students each year for the studio art advanced placement exam in both two- and three-dimensional design. In addition to her responsibilities in the fine arts department, Kate has served as housemaster of Locke Hall and spends her afternoons as head coach of the JV girls’ tennis team. Prior to teaching at Blair, Kate earned her BS in art education from the Pennsylvania State University and taught for two years in public school. In 2008, Kate earned her master's in studio art from New York University. She currently lives in Rea House with her husband, Andrew, who is a member of Blair's history department faculty. They have a daughter, Lyla, and son, Oliver.

View directions to athletic events.

View photos from the 2022 season on Blair's Photoshelter.