Elliot Newsome, a senior at Davie High and first seed on the women’s tennis team, has finally uncovered her path for the future. The first step onto this path was to commit to an athletic career at Belmont Abbey College. With a life change such as this one, there was a flood of emotions for almost everyone involved.
“I was very, very excited because I had multiple different colleges on my radar, and it was very relieving to finally know what path I was heading down and to feel like I knew it was coming in the future,” Newsome said.
Newsome officially signed to play at Belmont Abbey in a ceremony after school on November 13. The event, held in the Learning Commons, was well attended, including appearances from her teammates and a majority of her teachers, all of whom were invited to attend the event.
Along with teammates and teachers, the signing was flooded with family and a few friends who are just as close. One such “family member” in attendance was Dana Aderhold, mother of tennis player Bailey Aderhold, who has known Newsome since middle school. Aderhold sees Newsome as her second daughter and had nothing but positive words to say about her.
“Her work ethic, her attitude, she’s always upbeat, she’s cheering on others, even when she’s in the middle of her own match,” Aderhold said. “And I hope they all have learned from that and continue to encourage each other on and off the court as they go through the rest of their career and remember Elliot for that.”
Among the members of the tennis team supporting Newsome at her signing was junior Casey Cao. Cao has been playing with Newsome since she started on the high school team and has often been impressed by Newsome’s skill on the court.
“I like how fast she strategizes,” Cao said. “Once she sees a weak point on her opponent, she immediately attacks it, and then it works to her advantage every single time, which is something that I would love to do in the future.”
Other players on the tennis team have an even closer relationship with Newsome, including Leah Gibson, a sophomore and Newsome’s doubles partner. Throughout their time playing together, the two made a great team, winning most of their matches. Even off the court, the two get along incredibly well and have sustained a friendship that has lasted longer than any tennis season.
“Elliot is a player with an amazing attitude and work ethic,” Gibson said. “She’s got lots of experience, and it shows.”
Corbin Drum, a sophomore and second seed on the tennis team, has been playing with Newsome for nine years. Drum has sought to become a leader after Newsome’s example.
“Elliot is a great leader and person,” Drum said. “She is someone we all rely on and look up to.”
Beyond her teammates, Newsome’s coach, Collin Ferebee, has been her biggest fan since her freshman year. Ferebee described Newsome as a stellar young woman, both on and off the court.
“Elliot is one of the most conscientious hard workers that I’ve had the pleasure of both teaching and coaching,” Ferebee said. “She sees this new challenge and finds a way to overcome it and make herself even better.”
While Newsome looks forward to her time at Belmont Abbey, she does not plan to play professionally. Instead, she has her sights set on a career in science.
“I’m excited to be there for the academics because they have the major I’m interested in, which is biology,” Newsome said. “But I’m also just really excited to challenge myself more outside of the classroom with athletics.”
Newsome had a simple ask, a smooth signing, and it was just that. Thanks to the work ethic and effort from Newsome, Belmont Abbey now has another player who is confirmed by coaches, teammates, and peers to be a star.
