AGOURA'S DONAHUE STRIVES FOR PERFECTION.

Byline: Vincent Bonsignore Daily News Staff Writer

The price of being a perfectionist can be steep - especially when it comes to a sport as dramatically individual as tennis.

One bad shot, one missed volley or a couple of double faults can affect a player's psyche for an entire match.

Yet without that determination - the unwillingness to settle for anything less then the highest level of success - a tennis player is lost. It's the trait that separates the good players from the average.

Agoura High School's Jennifer Donahue is in search of the proper balance between maintaining perspective and wanting to be the best. The notion that she can't win every match is frustrating. But when she takes an honest look at her game and realizes that it is still a work in progress, she finds great solace in the fact that she's come so far, so fast.

But don't ever expect her to be satisfied.

``I'm not completely happy with the way I've played this year,'' said Donahue, the daughter of former UCLA football coach Terry Donahue. ``Just the fact that I haven't been able to come through in some big matches frustrates me.''

Donahue has won 31 Marmonte League matches this year while losing only five - those to league powers Darian Chappell of Camarillo and Helena Horak, Erin Smith and Katy Smith of Westlake.

And therein forms the crux of Donahue's dissatisfaction. The fact that she can't beat the four best players in the Marmonte League is like a dagger to her heart.

``It's tough for me mentally knowing that I'm not where I want to be,'' Donahue said.

Agoura tennis coach Stu Limbert says Donahue is too hard on herself. He says her improvement the past three years has been dramatic.

``She's playing 150 percent better than she was last year,'' Limbert said.

And he also believes that improvement will carry on as long as Donahue continues to play. Her plan is to walk on at UCLA next year and then hopefully earn a spot on the Bruins' doubles team somewhere down the road. Limbert thinks it's only a matter of time before she finds her niche on the next level.

``It might not happen her first year, but sooner or later she'll play and do well in college,'' Limbert said.

Donahue has been playing tennis regularly just three years. She reminds herself of that when facing the power players in the Marmonte League, all of whom have devoted practically their entire lives to the sport. When she considers that reality, she allows herself room for a little satisfaction.

The area that Donahue has seen the most growth in is her confidence level, although she admits she still has a ways to go before she can approach every match with the belief that she has a realistic opportunity to win.

The hardest part is accepting mistakes as an inevitable part of the game.

``I just need to learn that when things don't go well or if I hit a bad shot I just need to deal with it or blow it off and move on,'' she said. ``I think I'm improving but it's still tough for me.''

Limbert has noticed a marked improvement.

``She doesn't get as mad as she used to,'' Limbert said. ``But she still hates to lose. She's very competitive.''

Donahue said she gets that attitude from her father, Terry, who stepped down as the UCLA Bruins' football coach last year.

``I think I'm a lot like my dad in the way that we're both perfectionists,'' Donahue said. ``It's that attitude that good isn't good enough and that nobody can beat you but yourself. But when you look at all the great things that he did, that's what made him strive to win one more Rose Bowl or one more (Pac-10) championship. So it's good to set high standards for yourself.''

On the other hand, even her father concedes that being too much of a perfectionist can be a negative.

``He's noticed how I am and he's tried to help me get over it,'' she said. ``He doesn't want me to be too hard on myself.''

Donahue played soccer while growing up, but gave up the sport when she got to high school to devote her attention to tennis. Limbert considered placing her on the junior varsity team as a sophomore but felt she'd develop more rapidly on the varsity team.

Although she plays singles, Donahue will switch to doubles once her high school career ends later this year.

She has targeted her serve and volley, base line skills and allowing herself to have more fun on the court as the major areas she needs to improve.

Limbert thinks Donahue has the necessary tools to be an effective college player.

``Once she gets to the point that she mentally believes she can beat some of the better players around, that will be the boost she needs to go to the next level,'' Limbert said. ``She has a lot of potential.''

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Photo

Photo: Agoura High School senior Jennifer Donahue has improved dramatically, going 31-5 in Marmonte League matches this season.

Michael Owen Baker/Daily News