Tatum Rice, a junior tennis player at Lakeside High School in Hot Springs, won the state overall and Class 5A championships this year. Last year, she was runner-up in the state overall tournament as a sophomore. The runner-up this year in the 5A and overall championships was a sophomore as well — Rice’s sister Thea Rice. The duo helped propel the Lakeside tennis team to a tie with Pulaski Academy for the 5A state title.
It seems as though Thea is on track to follow in the Rice family’s trend of athletic success. The girls’ mother, Tracy Webb Rice, was the starting point guard for the Lady Razorbacks from 1983-87, during which time the team earned its first NCAA Tournament berth and won the National Women’s Invitational Tournament. Tracy was the fourth Lady Razorback inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor, and her “scrappy play resulted in four consecutive 20-win seasons,” according to arkansasrazorbacks.com.
Tatum was named the Arkansas Wendy’s High School Player of the Year in girls tennis in October. Thea is a great player in her own right, although she has lived in the shadow of her big sister her whole life. The way it shakes out, both sisters have had similar success. It just so happens that Thea became the state overall runner-up as her sister won. Next year, the two plan to play doubles as they have done in the past. Their special bond translates well to the doubles game, which is based on nonverbal cues and understanding your partner’s strengths while making up for the weaknesses.
“They’re athletic, and they’re long, and they can get to everything,” Lakeside tennis coach Shawny Green said. “They can move pretty well. I have Tatum for one more [year] and Thea for two more. They both competed in the overall tournament last year, but Thea was a runner-up in doubles, and Tatum was a runner-up in singles.”
The girls have “played up” since they were young kids. This means they play in higher age brackets in tournament play, a common occurrence for the best players who are looking for stiffer competition. They play in the United States Tennis Association Southern Division, which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Tennessee. In the Southern rankings published Monday, Tatum is the No. 2-ranked player in the Girls 16 Standings, and Thea is 23rd. Thea is 15 and is “playing up.”
“I have been [written about as] ‘Thea Rice, Tatum’s little sister,’ even though she didn’t live up to her sister’s accomplishments,” Thea said, “because at Southern, no matter what happens, I’ll always be a year younger, yet I still get compared. It’s very annoying.”
Although the girls said individual success is nice, the two like to focus on how their play contributes to the team. That’s why they opted to give other girls their chance to play singles this year. The Rice sisters have had their time in the spotlight, and their teammates are more like a family than just a team.
At home, the sisters’ dad is the sympathetic shoulder to cry on and one who emphasizes the importance of education. It sticks with the girls. They are both good students, and Tatum already scored a 28 on the ACT, although she’s still trying to get a better score. Their mom brings her fiery court persona to motivating her kids. Of course, she’s nice and doesn’t push too hard, but she preaches hard work and dedication, which show up on the court. Combine those qualities with the sisters’ intelligence, and they have a clear edge on their opponents.
The girls share a lot of their friends on the team, even though Tatum and Thea each have their own group of friends. This has been a common theme for them, as they played every sport they could throughout their youth. The lone exception is that Thea played soccer, while Tatum did not.
As the state-tournament draws seemed to point to a Rice-sister showdown, the girls’ school
and family were buzzing with
excitement. The family was there to cheer on both of them, so it was really a win-win and a lose-lose for
them.
“It was Tatum and Thea in the finals of conference, Tatum and Thea in the finals of state, and Tatum and Thea in the finals of overalls,” Green said. “It’s just funny because for a long time, it’s like, ‘Oh no, what are we gonna do when Tatum and Thea have to play each other? That’s gonna be scary.’ We didn’t really know what was gonna happen. It was awesome tennis, and it was so fun to watch.”
Thea said she knew her big sister would win the title, but Thea’s not bitter. She’s happy for Tatum, and when Thea talks about the match, it’s all smiles and chuckles. She wanted this for her sister.
“When she started beating me, I was like, ‘That cannot happen,’” Tatum said about falling behind in the first set of the overall championship. “I wasn’t thinking of what everyone would say outside, but at school, it was kind of a big
deal.”
Both girls want to play tennis in college, although they don’t plan to attend the same school. For all of the similarities they share, the girls contrast with one another. They balance each other. For example, when they’re together and someone strikes up a conversation, Thea does all of the talking. She’s the outgoing one.
On the court, Tatum is calculating and methodical with exceptional ball placement. She grinds down her opponents. Thea, on the other hand, is aggressive and doesn’t try to force a mistake. When she sees a shot, she takes it.
After the state overall match, the girls were back to being just sisters.
“At the end of the match, Thea was a really good sport about it all,” Tatum said. “She kept on wanting to hold the champion [trophy] and gave me the runner-up, but that’s typical Thea.”
Tatum will be a senior next season, and Thea will be a junior. Another year of experience should help them build on their already-impressive skill sets. They have their sights set on doubles glory and more team success. After their success in singles and factoring in their close relationship, the Rice sisters should be a force to be reckoned with in the state.
Staff writer Morgan Acuff can be reached at (501) 244-4314 or macuff@arkansasonline.com.