Although a part of Kayla Kelly would love the opportunity to play four years of college tennis with sister Ahmee, she admits there is a school recruiting Ahmee that she particularly likes.
"I would love to see Ahmee go to Virginia State," Kayla said. "Petersburg is the hometown of Trey Songz. I would be up there all the time."
Several schools have courted the twins as a package deal -- including Milligan, where older sister Albany already plays, Alabama A&M, Alabama-Huntsville and Sewanee -- but they have different interests for college. Ahmee is looking at majoring in accounting, with a minor in law, while Kayla -- who is older by a minute -- wants to go into business work, although she admits that "if the school I go to has a sports management program, that's what I want to do."
Kayla also is being recruited by a few schools for basketball. She was a two-time all-district player in that sport and helped the Lady Patriots reach the Class A state tournament this past season.
If the twins had a chance to play yet another sport, they had different interests as well. Ahmee wishes she had taken up volleyball a little sooner in life, while Kayla had a desire to play soccer.
"I always thought it would be a challenge," she said.
The sisters are the defending Class A/AA state doubles champions and this past Wednesday defended their District 6 title. The two played together this season only once during the regular season -- in the Champions Club tournament, when they won the No. 1 doubles title.
"It was weird at first," Kayla said of splitting up. "When we played together at the Champions Club, it was more natural because we're more familiar with each other."
Added Ahmee: "We feel like we can pick up where we left off."
They will enter Monday's Region 4 tournament with a chance to advance back to state, and with two wins they will be back in Murfreesboro to defend their TSSAA title.
"We're just taking it one round at a time," Kayla said. "We want to be back at state, and we have to continue to expect more of ourselves to make it there and possibly repeat."