When the annual conversation turned to school, the answer was always the same.
Year after year, sisters Lauren and Claire Gronek decided to remain home-schooled.
That discussion ended differently before the 2014-2015 school year.
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“Our parents would ask us about going to school,” Lauren Gronek said. “They were open to us going. They didn’t care if we wanted to go. We loved being home-schooled, but once we started getting into high school, we wanted to experience this. We wanted to play tennis, that was a main reason. We told our parents we were ready.”
After always being home-schooled, the Gronek sisters walked into a whole new world last year. It was one that included more than 3,000 students at Lake Central when Claire was a freshman and Lauren a sophomore.
“We walked into school together on the first day,” Claire said. “We touched our lockers, didn’t open them and then we were like, ‘OK, let’s go to our classes.’ That’s how it started.”
Now in their second season playing for the Indians (10-1), they’ve thrived on the court. Claire is 11-0 at No. 2 singles and Lauren is 9-2 at No. 3 singles.
The relationship between the Groneks developed into a special bond through all the years of home school together.
“I always had a best friend with me,” Claire said. “I was never lonely because I always had Lauren to hang out with. That’s why we’re so close — we’re both sisters and friends.”
Claire’s first love was tumbling, but after suffering an injury in her basement while attempting a back handspring, she gave it up.
“That should have been easy for me, but my elbow gave out and I fractured it,” she said. “I had to stop tumbling. I wanted to try I different sport, so I picked tennis and the two of us decided to do it together.”
Lake Central coach Bryan Szalonek is happy they did. The Groneks, one of four sets of sisters on the Indians roster, have been essential to the team’s strong start.
“Coming in, they both had some skills,” Szalonek said. “That’s nice because you’re not trying to teach them tennis, you’re just trying to help them get better at tennis. They’re both very competitive.”
Family first: The decision to leave Michigan City wasn’t an easy one for former Wolves coach Don Varda.
However, he couldn’t pass up the chance to take over LaPorte’s program in the Duneland Athletic Conference and coach his freshman daughter Allison.
“That’s a really important thing to me,” Varda said. “I’m a parent, like many parents, who dedicate all of their time to their kids. It’s great for me. I love it.”
Tennis is a family affair for the Vardas. Allison plays No. 2 doubles for the Slicers (9-2, 2-1). Her brother Michael is a freshman at Holy Cross.
Up to the challenge: Ask any local coach about the team to beat in Northwest Indiana, and the consensus is clear.
The target is firmly on the back of Munster (7-0, 4-0), which leads the Northwest Crossroads Conference.
The defending state runner-up has met the challenge head-on.
“Expectations are always to be the best team in the Region,” Munster coach Patrick Spohr said. “We have a long legacy we need to uphold. We need to win the sectional and take that momentum into regionals.”
Brandon Vickrey is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
TOP 5
Last week’s rankings in parentheses.
1. Munster (1)
2. Crown Point (4)
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3. Lake Central (2)
4. LaPorte (NR)
5. Portage (5)
Player of the Week: Crown Point senior Savannah Schuljak picked up singles wins against LaPorte and Lake Central to clinch both Bulldogs victories. It was Lake Central’s first loss.