Former Kat lands head coaching gig

By Mike Forman
The Victoria Advocate

Lauren Janak will be speaking from experience when she talks about the state tennis tournament.

Janak made two appearances at the state tournament as a player and she hopes to return after being named the head tennis coach at Victoria West. Janak's hiring was approved by a unanimous 6-0 vote of the Victoria school board of trustees at a special-called meeting on Friday.

"It's exciting coming to a new high school," Janak said by phone from Baton Rouge, La. "I think I'm ready to build a new team."

Janak, 24, is a 2003 graduate of El Campo High School where she won two regional doubles titles and advanced to the state tournament.

She was a junior college All-American at Lee College in Baytown before lettering for two years at Sam Houston State University. Janak worked as an assistant coach at Sam Houston State while earning her master's degree. She has been an assistant tennis coach at Groesbeck High School for the past two years.

"I've had great experiences working with coaches and I learned a lot from them," Janak said.

Janak is anxious to meet her players and start preparing for the team tennis season.

"I think teamwork is a majority of it," Janak said. "It's what you can do all together."