Bishop signs tennis scholarship with Lipscomb

FLORENCE - The pressure of being a leader on the tennis court, the basketball court and in the classroom can become a little overwhelming for a high school senior.

Playing for your father and sorting through the myriad of college scholarship offers can be daunting.

But not for Mackenzie Bishop. The multi-sport star from Shoals Christian signed a scholarship to play tennis for Lipscomb University last week.

The pressure of where she'll attend college is off for now, but Bishop wants to finish a strong high school career before moving to college.

Tennis always has been her top sport.

"I started hitting around when I was about three years old," Bishop said. "When my dad would be at practice with the UNA team, I would pick up a racket and hit the ball up against the wall. I guess I just took to it from there."

Mackenzie's father, Brice, who coaches at Shoals Christian, says that the scholarship is the result of many years of hard work.

"Mackenzie was gifted with all the natural tools, but her commitment to becoming a great tennis player is what got her here," he said.

"When her friends were out at the movies or spending summer days at the lake, Mackenzie was on the tennis court."

While the summer workouts may have been designed to push her to reach her potential, Mackenzie Bishop said she never got discouraged by the work.

"Practices during the summer get intense," she said.

"They are usually about two hours each, and sometimes there are more than one per day. I'm sure it would have been nice to spend time on the lake or out with friends, but this is what I want. I am dedicated to being a great tennis player."

The summer workouts have not been her only preparation for the next level. She also regularly competed in USTA sanctioned tournaments throughout the Southeast.

"The summer tour is crazy," she said. "The level of competition from match to match is so much higher than what you find in high school. I think that it's been a great tool in helping shape my game."

Bishop also said the relief of signing early will allow her to be at her best during her final season at Shoals Christian.

"It feels good to know that the worries of college are behind me for right now," Mackenzie said. "Knowing that the visits and paperwork are done allows me to stay focused on tennis. And that is what's most important."

Lipscomb University is a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference in Division I. While the pressure of playing the highest level of college tennis can be great, Mackenzie is choosing to just enjoy the moment for now.

"This feels amazing," she says. "I've always looked forward to this moment, and being able to just step back and enjoy it makes me really happy."