By Chris Sokoloski

csokoloski@gtowntimes.com

Waccamaw High's Sarah Elliott signed to play tennis at Coker College on Wednesday morning.

"It's really exciting for me because it's something I've worked really hard for my whole life," Elliott said. "It means I get to go to the next level and I'm really excited about that."

Elliott first picked up a tennis racquet when she was in sixth grade. She had been on a competitive cheerleading team but her mom, Denita, asked her to switch sports after seeing a girl shatter her elbow at a competition.

Elliott switched to tennis, but was a member of Waccamaw High's non-competition cheerleading squad.

During her career at Waccamaw she was a member of two Class AA state championship teams and was named to the North-South team.

"[That] was a really big honor for me," Elliott said.

Beyond the accolades, Elliott said the highlight of her high school career was the bond she shared with her teammates.

"I just love my team and everything we did together was great," she said. "We all got along so well."

Elliott in interested in studying exercise science at Coker and eventually working in a sports-related field.

She said the biggest transition from high school to college tennis will be the amount of training and practice time - the Cobras are already practicing even though they don't compete until the spring - and the level of competition.

"When I played here in high school there isn't much competition until we get to Lower State, but I know in college it's going to be a lot harder for me," she said.

Elliott will join former Waccamaw teammate Casey Altman, who is a freshman, on the Coker tennis team.