Next week, three local tennis players will trade the wind and wetness of the Oregon coast for the broiling heat of the Sonoran Desert as they venture to Tucson, Ariz., for the United States Tennis Association Nationals Oct. 26-28.

Because the Bay Area contingent numbers less than the required 12 team members, locals Liz Stevens, Sally Woodman and Kathy Cooley will play with a team from Eugene, who asked the ladies to join after seeing them play in a tournament.

“We just didn’t have enough players to enter and the Eugene team really liked what they saw, so they asked us to join,” said Woodman, a physical education teacher at North Bend Middle School. “I’ve been playing since I was about 10 and after taking a few years off to play racquetball, I got back into it and am really enjoying it.”

Born in Lake Oswego, Woodman said that tennis has allowed her to be able to get more quality time with her 12-year-old daughter, Kylee.

“She’s really into it here at the Boys & Girls Club and it just works well for both of us,” Woodman said. “Tennis really is a great family sport.”

Asked if she is nervous about the upcoming nationals, Woodman replied. “Not nervous, excited. I’ve played in state tournaments before, so I can handle the pressure. I’m more anxious than anything.”

 U.S Coast Guard Health Service Technician Stevens, who has called Coos Bay her duty station for the past three-and-a-half years, said she has been playing tennis her whole life and really looks forward to the visit to Tucson.

“I played all the way through high school, even went to state,” said Stevens, who’s looking to become a medical administrator and calls the Coast Guard her career. “And to get to play in a tournament of this magnitude is really exciting.”

According to Stevens, ability alone isn’t what got her to this point.

“I’ve really had a lot of support from my husband, my command and ‘Inch by Inch’ is acting as my sponsor,” Stevens said. “I really appreciate all they’ve done for me.”

Kathy Cooley is a relative newcomer compared to her teammates.

A public health nurse for the past 11 years, Cooley 39, really only got serious about the sport maybe four years ago.

“I played when I was about 13, but really only dabbled in it in high school,” she said. “This is my first tournament and I’m not really nervous, more excited. But who knows? I still have time to get nervous. It may hit me later.”

Cooley too has aspiring tennis players coming up in the family, daughters Kady, 5 and Kirra, 3.

“Kady already has her own tennis racket and I’m sure her sister won’t be too far behind,” Cooley said. “It really is also a family sport for us as well.”

When asked about the effects of the change in weather and altitude, going from the sea level courts in Coos Bay to the Arizona heat, the players said they are expecting that and will prepare as best they can.

“We’re leaving Wednesday so that we have time to acclimate before the tournament,” Woodman said. “It will take some getting used to, but we’ll do all right.”

“We’re just going to do the best we can,” Stevens said. “There’ll be players from all over the country, so we’ll have to play hard.”

Asked how they think they’ll do, Woodman said, “We have no idea. We’re going to compete and I do know one thing. We’ll have a lot of fun.”