Old Lyme’s Rahr honored by U.S.tennis star Keys with ‘Medal of Kindness’In case you missed the article about one of LOLHS' teacher in The Day Newspaper on Friday April 19th, check it out
By VICKIE FULKERSON SARAH GORDON/THE DAY Old Lyme girls’ tennis coach Lauren Rahr wrote American tennis star Madison Keys a note. It was after Rahr had watched Keys lose in the semifinals of the 2023 U.S. Open to Aryna Sabalenka in a third-set tiebreaker, one in which Sabalenka seemingly lost her cool, slamming her racket. Keys remained unfazed, Rahr thought. “Madi just walked to the baseline to serve almost as if nothing had happened,” said Rahr, Old Lyme’s fourthyear head coach. “I was yelling to my dad upstairs, ‘We better be recording this so the girls can see it.’ She treated everyone with respect; it’s hard to do when you lose on that big of a stage. “I just wrote to her and told her she had fans in Connecticut, she was an inspiration to female tennis players everywhere and I asked her for any advice she could share.” Earlier this week, a package arrived at Old Lyme for Rahr along with a “Medal of Kindness,” awarded by Keys, who is part of an initiative called “Kindness Wins.” She also made a video for Rahr. Keys’ advice for the Wildcats: “I know you’re starting a new season soon with a young team, so my advice would be focus on what you can control on your side of the net. Don’t be too hard on yourself if a shot doesn’t go your way and really just try to enjoy it. I definitely play better when I’m just out there having some fun.” Old Lyme, which has won three consecutive state championships, is 7-0 overall and in the Shoreline Conference, having upped its winning streak to 73 straight matches despite replacing a number of varsity players from a year ago. Twins Beatrice and Aggie Hunt are the Wildcats’ No. 1 doubles team and co-captains. “Miss Rahr really deserves it,” Beatrice Hunt said this week. “If I was going to give the Medal of Kindness to a single coach, I would give it to her. She has the perfect balance of tough love and love love. It took her the first year to find out tough love ... but like today she made us run and we’re better for it.” “We have players who were ready to take the spots,” said Aggie Hunt of Old Lyme’s continued success, citing Dave Rahr, Lauren’s dad and assistant coach, for his cultivation of the junior varsity team. “Beatrice and I want to fill in their shoes (at No. 1 doubles). The seniors who graduated were inspirational in terms of keeping the team really competitive. We want to maintain this team’s legacy but create our own legacy.” Rahr, a math teacher at the school, has been The Day’s All-Area Coach of the Year, the Shoreline Conference Coach of the Year and Old Lyme’s Outstanding Educator. Comments are closed.
|
Important Dates: February
14- 22: February Break HOMEWORK FREE! 25: SAT Prep for ALL Juniors Session 1 March 4: SAT Prep for ALL Juniors Session 2 5: ASVAB Testing 7: 1/2 day PD 11: SAT Prep for ALL Juniors Session 3 13-16: Musical "Neewsies" 18: SAT Prep for ALL Juniors Session 4 18: District Choral Concert @ 7 26: SAT for juniors Pre-Order your Sandwich HERE
(click on the image above to access the link) Do you know when your club meets? Click on the PAW to find out:
Select image above to complete the Student /Media Form if you do NOT want your student to be interviewed, photographed, or videotaped in conjunction with school-related events or publicity.
Follow LOL Public Schools!
(click the icons below) ![]() Archives
February 2025
|