North Jersey Female Athlete of the Week keeps adding to her long resume
A stuffed giraffe has accompanied Stephanie Yakoff coast-to-coast for tennis events. Clay and cement, indoor and outdoor.
He has been a loyal, trusted companion, a gift from Yakoff’s brother.
Yet, the giraffe remains nameless.
“I think my brother brought it back for me on a business trip about 10 years ago,” Yakoff said. “I’ve carried him everywhere. He’s good luck.”
Meanwhile, the senior from Fort Lee has been The Name in girls tennis across New Jersey since she was a freshman. She’s the reigning North Jersey Player of the Year, and she added another Bergen County singles championship to her long resume last week. She's the favorite to win the state title again in a few weeks.
Yakoff exists on that rare plane for a high school athlete where she has already accomplished everything there is to accomplish, yet she remains loyal to her school and team. She said she likes the ability to play so many outdoor matches, and the competition keeps her sharp.
“I feel like it has been good to play high school tennis,” Yakoff said. “Besides it helping me to get into Harvard, I have made so many friends and made so many connections and met so many people. I would definitely say it has been rewarding.”
Yakoff is a prodigy, raised on forehands and backhands, but she never comes across as a star. Her trophies? They’re in a storage room somewhere in Fort Lee right now. She’s willing to help her teammates, give them advice to improve their games and cheer them on when they play.
She has a slightly modified class schedule which allows her to get in a couple hours of tennis training at the USTA center on Randall’s Island, then she comes back for Fort Lee practice and matches.
Harvard is her dream opportunity. She wants to study physiology and sports medicine.
But did she ever think about turning pro right after high school?
“I wanted to go to college first,” she said. “I am not too sure what will happen after that. I will give it a look, but right now, college is the first priority.”
To improve her game, Yakoff has begun to try some new methods, including signing up for kickboxing.
“I did taekwondo when I was younger and I thought it would be fun to try out,” Yakoff said. “It’s a good full-body workout, because I box too. I think it helps with my coordination and balance.”
She also gets physical therapy and cryotherapy to keep her muscles loose.
“My flexibility is not the greatest,” Yakoff said. “But I feel like it all helps with my footwork and speed. I am able to get to a lot of balls and I feel faster, stronger and more powerful.”
When the high school tennis season wraps up, Yakoff will head back to the youth circuit. Her schedule is still coming together, but it probably involves events in Florida and the Midwest.
Her giraffe is coming too, following a big name that’s only getting bigger and better by the day.
Stephanie Yakoff
Sport: Tennis
School: Fort Lee
Class: Senior. Age: 17
Accomplishment: Yakoff won the Big Schools Bergen County tennis tournament singles title for the third time. She had straight set wins in all three matches.
Also nominated: Sasha Abramsky of Wayne Hills for tennis.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Bergen Record Female Athlete of the Week: Stephanie Yakoff, Fort Lee
