When she returns to Belgium next week, it won’t be long before Deborah Leroy (pronounced Lay-WAH) will be asking friends, &#8220Tennis, pour qui?” (Tennis, anyone?).

Leroy had never played tennis before learning the game during her stay as a foreign exchange student at Warren Central. It will be one of many things she will remember about her time in Vicksburg and her American host family in Billy and Robin Lieberman.

A native of the Belgian capital of Brussels, Leroy came to America fluent in French, English and Spanish. Her one sporting activity was basketball.

&#8220I played on a basketball team for two years in Belgium. It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed it. We even went to some tournaments in Spain,” Leroy said.

Tennis was foreign to her even though she did know that two of the world’s top women’s tennis players are from Belgium in Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin.

&#8220Personally, I like Justine, because she speaks French. Clijsters is Dutch and has retired,” Leroy said.

Leroy’s first month at Warren Central was an adjustment.

&#8220I came to Vicksburg on August 30. It was hard. September was the worst month of my life. I don’t think I was prepared to leave my parents. The school was very difficult and I didn’t know anybody,” Leroy said. &#8220But now it will be hard to leave. I like it a lot and I will miss my American family, especially Kari (Lieberman). She helped me to know America. I couldn’t have had a better family.”

By the end of the fall semester, Leroy began feeling more acclimated. Then in January she picked up a tennis racket at the urging of some new friends.

&#8220I played for the first three times with my friends,” Leroy said. &#8220I really missed being on a team, so I met with Coach (Rick) Shields. I was really bad at first. But he gave me lessons every Sunday and I started playing every day.”

A tennis enthusiast was born.

&#8220I know that tennis is my sport now. I can’t wait to play when I return to Belgium,” Leroy said.

Shields, who is in his third year as WC tennis coach, saw a raw talent, but one with natural athletic ability.

&#8220Her hand-eye coordination was really good. I thought with a lot of practice, she could help us by the Julie Abraham Tournament,” Shields said of the end of the regular season tournament for the Vicksburg high school tennis programs.

&#8220I felt I could relate to her because we’re both the only children. Not only is she a good, good person, but she was eager to learn. She didn’t say hardly 40 words all season, but she was listening and picking up what she could.

&#8220By the end of the year, she had surpassed many of our other girls who have been with me for a couple of years. She was just hungrier,” Shields said.

Leroy spent most of the first half of the season with the junior varsity. But by the second half, she was playing more and more with the Viking varsity.

&#8220She played in enough varsity matches to earn a letter. But she was doing more than that. She was beating people in singles and was doing well in doubles.”

Leroy capped her season by winning the No. 2 girls singles title at the Julie Abraham Tournament. She defeated two St. Aloysius players by identical 8-0 scores.

&#8220I played mostly doubles early on, but I got to play two (varsity) singles matches and I won both of those,” Leroy said of her wins at the Abraham Tournament. &#8220I am looking forward to playing against better players. I got to play against one girl who was really good. She beat me, but I enjoyed that match the most. We had a lot of rallies and that makes you play your best.”

Leroy was rewarded with a pair of awards at the Warren Central athletic banquet. She was named the Vikings’ most improved girl player and received the George Wilkerson Memorial Sportsmanship Award.

&#8220The Wilkerson Award is our highest honor and she was a pretty easy pick,” Shields said. &#8220She symbolizes what that award is about, which is hard work and dedication.”

After the tennis season ended, Leroy got to experience another great American past time by going to see the Lieberman’s son, Joey, play baseball at the University of Memphis.

&#8220It was very impressive,” she said.

Leroy wants to be a language interpreter, specializing in English and Spanish. She said she will be enrolling in a language school in Brussels in the fall.