Sanchez signs with Howard Payne University

Brownwood is just far enough away for Snyder High School senior Zaylie Sanchez.
On Wednesday, Sanchez signed a national letter of intent to play tennis at Howard Payne University, an NCAA Division III program that plays in the American Southwest Conference.
“I am excited to be playing in college. Brownwood is just far enough away from home and my family and friends can come watch me play,” Sanchez said.
The Howard Payne community reminded her of home, she said of her visit.
“It is close community, kind of like it is here at home. I really liked that about Brownwood and Howard Payne,” Sanchez said.
She played both singles and doubles for Snyder the past four years and said she will play either for the Yellow Jackets.
“I am just ready to play some more tennis,” she said.
Snyder head coach Coby Hamlin said Howard Payne is getting a player who “doesn’t know the words ‘Give up.’”
“She is never going to quit. She has been our comeback kid,” Hamlin said. “She could be down 5-0 in a match and we knew it was either going to be us losing close, 7-5, or winning a tiebreaker. That is the kind of player she is.”
She began playing tennis competitively in high school. She said watching her sister, Danielle, play taught her the game.
Sanchez said picked up a racket because she did not want to put on running spikes.
“After I was done with basketball, I didn’t want to run track, so I gave tennis a try,” Sanchez said. “In the beginning, I taught myself how to play and have worked to get better.”
Sanchez said her signing could lead to other players continuing their careers in college.
“This means a lot for our program. It shows my teammates that we can be able to play tennis beyond Snyder,” she said.