Different Strokes

OJAI —  Lori Stern isn’t your average junior tennis player.

A recent string of victories made the Ojai resident the No. 1-seeded player in the girls’ 16 division at the 98th Southern California sectional tournament today through Sunday at Los Caballeros Racquet Club in Fountain Valley.

Even more notable is that Stern has risen to the top by keeping the trappings of junior tennis to a minimum.

“I try not to let tennis interfere with my life,” Stern said.

There is no entourage of coaches. Rick Thompson, the head pro at Ojai Valley Athletic Club, has been Stern’s coach since she began playing at the age of 4.

There are no tutors or home-school schedules. She attends the academically rigorous Cate School in Carpinteria, where she will be a junior in the fall.

And there is no practicing four or more hours every day.

“Some people, they’re out there like six to 10 hours a day, and that works for them. But I would never. I would never,” Stern said. “I really don’t play that much.

“My dad always says if I practiced four hours a day, I’d probably be No. 1 in the world. But I don’t know. I don’t think so. Tennis is not my first thing at all.”

Stern, 16, opts for one-hour practices--occasionally two--with the rest of her time devoted to classwork, playing on the girls’ team at Cate or spending time with friends.

“Lori doesn’t really like to work that hard,” Thompson said. “If she put more of her physical and mental energy into tennis, she’d probably be unstoppable.”

Among Stern’s best friends is Alex Garber, a girls’ volleyball and water polo player who has known Stern since they were infants.

“I’m totally jealous [of Stern],” Garber said, laughing. “She’s just developed a talent. She’s always done well. She’s always had like 400 trophies, and I think it’s just natural.

“Plus, she never lets a loss get to her. Other kids let it get to them and it affects their game, but she never lets anything faze her.”

Especially not opposing players.

Stern is ranked No. 2 in girls’ 16s in Southern California behind Brooke Borisoff of Agoura Hills and is ranked No. 55 in the nation by the U.S. Tennis Assn.

As the top-seeded player in next weekend’s sectional, Stern did not have to play in a qualifier. She will face Jayme Hu of Torrance today at 11:30 in the round of 32.

Stern, 5 feet 8 1/2, has a strong and accurate serve and an effective backhand. She may lose a point, but never her composure.

“I think I’m mentally strong,” Stern said. “I don’t have fits or make a fuss. I think people look pretty silly when they do that, actually. I try to keep my cool and I think it bugs a lot of people. I try to look the same whether I’m winning or losing.”

Usually, she is winning. Stern has a 20-2 record in Southern California Tennis Assn. matches this year. She finished 21-3 and was ranked No. 39 in Southern California last year.

Stern won key designated tournaments in Fullerton in February and in Anaheim in May. Players are required to participate in designated tournaments to be endorsed by the SCTA in national events.

“She’s not really that gifted athletically,” Thompson said. “She does it mentally. She can pick up on somebody’s weakness real well and play to that.”

Stern advanced to the final match of the South Bay tournament in March before retiring, and she reached the quarterfinals of the season-opening Mid-Winter tournament in January.

“Compared to last season, I’m like a whole ‘nother girl,” Stern said. “Last year doesn’t even compare to this year. I think my confidence is really up and that’s the key. I approach every match like I have nothing to lose.”

That attitude has paid off for Stern and for Cate, where she has been the No. 1 player on the girls’ team the last two seasons. The Rams advanced to the last two Southern Section Division V finals, losing to Laguna Beach each year.

Stern had a 46-1 record in high school round-round sets last fall. She lost to San Marcos’ Kelly Schmandt in the third round of the section’s individual tournament.

“[Stern] hits the ball with very good pace, and, unlike most junior players, she is able to do something different with every shot,” Cate Coach Bob Bonning said. “She has very good anticipation. She’s able to get to a lot of balls early and turn them into potentially attacking shots.

“But best of all, she’s a really great person. A lot of people here at Cate don’t know how good she is because she doesn’t really talk about it. She’s completely unconcerned with her success.”

That’s just Stern’s approach to tennis.