A tennis star from Cedar Rapids

Editor's note: This is a continuing series of Eastern Iowa sports history 'Time Machine” articles. Mark Dukes worked at The Gazette from 1973 to 1998, the last 14 years as sports editor.

By Mark Dukes, correspondent

In so many ways, it's a long way from the west side of Cedar Rapids to the All England Tennis Club.

Micki Schillig went to a high school - now-defunct Cedar Rapids LaSalle - that didn't have a tennis team and had no courts on its campus. Still, four years after a decorated prep career, she found herself at the All England Club and the site of Wimbledon, one of the sport's major championships played on a property that includes 19 tightly-groomed tournament grass courts.

Wimbledon is to tennis what Augusta National and The Masters are to golf. Historic grass, hallowed ground.

'I remember when we got there, a Wimbledon car comes to pick you up and let you off at the front door,” Schillig said. 'There were all these people with cameras and it was kind of embarrassing. It was like, ‘What are you doing? You don't know me.'”

Tennis fans who followed her in high school and college knew all about Schillig, though.

She won three Iowa state high school singles championships (1976, '78, '79) while playing under the banner of LaSalle. She was deprived of a likely fourth state title in her sophomore year because of a scheduling conflict that found her at the 17-and-under national tournament in California. Only two girls have ever won four Iowa singles titles.

'I felt bad at first,” Schillig said of missing the 1977 state tourney. 'But eventually, I figured there'll be other things.”

An excellent student, Schillig aspired to play at Stanford. But the roster was stacked and it appeared she might play No. 7 singles at best. She landed at San Diego State, whose coach (Carol Plunkett) had seen Schillig play in several junior tournaments.

Schillig became an All-American with the Aztecs, selected three times in singles, twice in doubles and once academically. She still holds the school record for career wins (105-36).

In her junior season in 1982, Schillig reached the singles final of the first NCAA women's championships in Salt Lake City. She opposed Stanford's Alycia Moulton, whom Schillig had defeated five times previously. However, Moulton prevailed, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

'It was so exciting. I couldn't have ever believed I would get there,” Schillig said. 'I didn't think the odds were against me, but I guess they were.”

Her NCAA finish and performances in subsequent summer tournaments sent her national ranking skyrocketing, high enough to earn her an invitation to the U.S. Open and Wimbledon.

'It was an interesting trip (to England),” Schillig said. 'I left by myself right after nationals in New Mexico that year basically with my luggage. I thought I would get a hotel room when I got over there. There were some other girls on the flight who were going to play and they said everything was booked. But this group of girls I didn't even know found me housing and got me everywhere I needed to go.”

Schillig opposed Raffaella Reggi of Italy in the first round of the main draw of 128 players. They split the first two sets, each with 6-3 triumphs. Schillig was ahead in the deciding set but came unraveled because of a line call and dropped the match, 7-5 in the third.

'There was a bad line call and I fell apart,” Schillig said. 'There was a ball that was like three feet out and the officials called it in. It was my inexperience not to let it go and move on.”

Schillig was at Wimbledon again in 1985 but lost a qualifying match. She also played in two U.S. Opens (1982 and ‘84), notching her best professional victory ever in 1982 when she knocked off seventh-ranked Leslie Allen in the first round, 6-2, 6-4. Schillig lost in three sets in the round of 64.

'Wimbledon was really cool with all the pomp and conditions, but I still loved the U.S. Open,” Schillig said. 'My graduation present was a trip to the U.S. Open. It was so exciting for a high school kid to go there. I never thought I would play there.”

After a three-year pro career, during which she was ranked as high as No. 81 in the world, she became the women's tennis coach at Iowa. Schillig coached from 1987 to '95, earning Big Ten Coach of the Year in 1990. But it was not the best of times.

'I never wanted to coach but I kind of fell into it,” Schillig said. 'I did not love it. I liked playing but not really coaching. It was such an unnormal life to me.”

Despite her high school's lack of facilities, Schillig wasn't exactly deprived of opportunities and support. Her father Chuck, an Iowa Tennis Association Hall of Famer, opened Westfield Tennis Club in 1976, complete with indoor and outdoor courts. Schillig is grateful for the support, financially and otherwise, from Chuck, her mother Elsie and brother Mike.

Schillig, 54, now is Micki Feldmann, an engaging personality and busy wife and mother. She met her husband, Dennis, on a blind date that went poorly. It took a second date for things to click, she said. They have a 10-year-old son, Mac, who is active in many sports but not tennis. Schillig seems entirely comfortable with life now and doesn't spend much time playing tennis. She is the message therapist at Westfield.

'I loved my tennis life and all the things I got to do, blessed that I had the opportunity,” Schillig said. 'I experienced seeing the world. I went to so many places, and I know my parents sacrificed a lot.

'It's fun now, a little tiring because Mac is very active. Now that I did what I wanted to do, it's not like I need to hurry up and get back to something for me.”

Schillig did plenty, reaching heights in her sport that only a Cedar Rapids girl could dream.