FSLM Student Profile: August 2025

Meet Lynleigh Henderson
By Baylor McLelland

photo by shane darby

As August begins, so do preparations for the incoming school year: gathering supplies, buying clothes, and memorizing the new schedule. On top of that, seniors have to prepare for the end of their high school journeys, and for some, their journeys as athletes. For Pleasant Grove High School’s Lynleigh Henderson, this month represents all of that and more.

Lynleigh began playing tennis in sixth grade as a way to avoid taking a P.E. class. “Tennis was the only other option, so I signed up for it,” she said, “and it took a while, but I ended up falling for it.” It was during her eighth-grade year when she started to take the sport seriously. She began taking private lessons at Northridge Country Club to improve. Since then, Lynleigh has gone from an amateur—who hadn’t even held onto a racket before—to one of the school’s best players. She is beginning her senior year in the number-two position in the girls’ tennis division.

“I have learned how to spin the ball when I serve and do all these things that sixth-grade me would have been so confused by,” she said. However, she emphasized that physical skill alone is not enough to be a successful tennis player. “Tennis is a game where you have to know the strategy to win.”

 Lynleigh used her skills and strategy to climb the ranks to number six in the girls’ division her freshman year and nearly competed on the state level as a freshman. However, at the regional competitions, Lynleigh lost her match—and lost her team the chance to compete at the state competition. While the results took a toll on Lynleigh, she used the event as motivation through her sophomore year. As a 10th grader, she faced the same opponent at regionals, and again she lost. Lynleigh did not give up, though, and this past year, she finally beat her. This relentless willpower is Lynleigh’s greatest strength, allowing her to be where she’s at today.

Lynleigh said that her willpower is fed by encouragement from friends and family but that her biggest motivator is a desire not to let her team down. After her lost matches at regional competitions as an underclassman, she worked tirelessly to beat her opponent this past season. Through her mistakes and the adversities she and her team have faced, she’s grown as a player and person.

Through tennis, Lynleigh has also built unexpected relationships. During practice, players with different lifestyles and beliefs get to bond and learn about one another. “Just being with each other every single day at practice, you’re going to form relationships,” Lynleigh said. “On our bus rides and overnight trips, even though we’re different, we all find ways to talk with each other.” These relationships have helped build a family of Pleasant Grove’s tennis team.

Now, as this group prepares for their final year together, some goals have been set to “go out with a bang.” Lynleigh expects to win most of her matches in the fall season, as she said, “That’s just how it’s going to go.” During the spring season, she’ll increase her number of lessons, practice as much as possible, and set personal goals to find a balance between tennis and celebrating her senior year.

submitted photo

While a student’s senior year is an emotional one for families regardless, the Henderson family is closer than average. Lynleigh’s younger sister also attends classes at PGHS, and their father works as the school tech supervisor. On some occasions, he’ll have to come into one of Lynleigh’s classes to solve a technical issue, but before he solves it, he has to make it known that his daughter is in the room, embarrassing her in the process.

With her family, friends, and fellow tennis players supporting her, Lynleigh is beginning her senior year with energy and excitement. “It’s nonstop tennis from now ‘til May,” she said. “I’m going to sleep with my racket in hand.” However, while this sport is something Lynleigh is passionate about, it isn’t her main focus. She hopes to attend Texas A&M University in College Station after graduation, where she plans to study business with enough time to play tennis for fun.

Despite the setbacks in her career, Lynleigh has shown nothing but growth as a tennis player. Even when she thought of quitting altogether, she held onto her dreams and racket, and she encourages other players to do the same. “Stick with it,” she said. “If you don’t stick with it, what else are you going to do? It’s worth it in the end.”