Kara Ikeda felt a slight twinge in her right shoulder in December but figured it was nothing more than the usual muscle soreness associated with playing competitive tennis.

Now four months later, the irritation has stuck with Ikeda, a Kentlake junior and one of the top-returning tennis players on the South Puget Sound League North Division circuit this spring.

“I saw it coming in December, but thought it was something that would just come and go,” Ikeda lamented.

That something turned out to be a cyst that had developed in Ikeda’s right rotator cuff, an irritation that was not officially diagnosed until right before the season began in March. Shortly after the diagnosis, the Kentlake junior was given a cortisone shot, which initially helped the pain subside.

The cortisone shot, however, wasn’t enough.

And, as such, Ikeda has ultimately reinvented her game this spring. The powerful overhand serve that made her successful on SPSL North courts a season ago is gone.

Instead of power, Ikeda relies on finesse.

“When I go out there, I kind of have a handicap,” said Ikeda, who has relied on smart play and steady doses of Ibuprofen to get by. “Instead of hitting overhand, I have to hit high volleys. It has been really difficult for me because I want to play my hardest, but I have to hold back.”

Though the injury certainly has had its share of drawbacks it has forced Ikeda to become a student of the game.

On the court she is constantly looking for a better angle to beat an opponent or a new way to slice the ball down the line. It’s all about strategizing for Ikeda.

“At the beginning of each set I strategize against what the player’s weakness is. When I serve I have to chop the ball and slice it instead of going full power and smashing it,” said Ikeda, who noted that many of her friends have suggested she attempt her game lefthanded. “I also have had to change my grip so my arm isn’t using as much of my shoulder.”

First-year Kentlake coach Ken Finley has watched first hand how Ikeda has reinvented herself. A big part of Ikeda’s success thus far is simply her level-headed demeanor on the court, the coach said.

“She doesn’t beat herself up over points and tends to let things go,” Finley said. “She has very nice basic strokes and moves well. (With her injury), there’s not much Kara can do other than put spin on the ball.”

Of course, don’t mistake that level-headed demeanor as being too relaxed.

The Kentlake junior is plenty competitive, which was evident during a March 31 victory over Kentridge’s Katelyn Overland, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4. Overland is among the league’s top newcomers this spring.

Yet, as Ikeda’s game has morphed from power to precision, her immediate goal for the season remains the same. She wants to win.

“I would love to make it to district because I have not made it the last two years,” she said.