By Landry Brewer
Elk City, OK – MacKinley, Quinn, and Spence Brewer are an Elk City High School first.
In the ECHS tennis program's half-century existence, they're the first set of three siblings to play on the team at the same time.
Several sibling pairs have played together on the boys' and girls' teams since competitive ECHS tennis began in 1975, but no triple-sibling sets had.
Until last year.
As a junior, sophomore, and freshman, the Brewers became the first sibling trifecta in program history.
After playing 1 Singles and qualifying for the state tournament all four years of high school, MacKinley recently capped her tennis career by earning a fifth-place medal and a podium finish at state.
Quinn just finished his junior season as State Runner-Up playing 1 Singles. As a sophomore, he and Kyler Welch placed third at last year's state tournament in 1 Doubles, and Quinn and Syvan Syribouth placed fourth at state two years ago in 2 Doubles.
Spence just finished his sophomore season playing 1 Doubles with Kyler Welch, and they were also State Runners-Up. Spence played 2 Doubles last year as a freshman, and he and Rafe Coslow played for the State Championship and finished as State Runners-Up.
Along with Max Murray, Kyler Welch, Rafe Coslow, and Kade Duncan, Quinn and Spence were part of the 2025 Elk City High School 4A Boys' State Championship Team—the first in ECHS tennis history.
MacKinley and Quinn got their first taste of tennis when they were six and five and attended a summer Elk City tennis camp. Only four then, Spence was too young to participate.
Later, when Quinn and Spence were in the sixth and fifth grades, they began playing in weekend United States Tennis Association tournaments in the Oklahoma City area. MacKinley began playing in USTA tournaments the next year.
They moved through middle-school tennis in seventh and eighth grades, and then came high school.
MacKinley was first, then Quinn, then Spence. All began playing varsity tennis as freshmen.
Initially, MacKinley didn't want her brothers to join her on the high school team, but she eventually changed her mind.
"Being on the same team made us closer because we were also teammates," MacKinley said.
She also found a big benefit during matches.
"Another advantage to playing with siblings is knowing there are always people on your team who will watch you and cheer you even if nobody else is watching," MacKinley said.
Quinn sees the upside to sibling rivalry.
"We're always competing and challenging each other to do the best we can and trying to prove who's the best," Quinn said.
He also said that playing with his siblings created a stronger team bond.
Spence recognizes a practical value in playing tennis with MacKinley and Quinn.
"One thing that's nice about having siblings on the team is always having a hitting partner," Spence said.
Gina Curtis coached the three Brewers and appreciates that they always got along well with each other without extreme sibling competitiveness.
"They not only support each other, but they also push each other to play their best," Curtis said. "There's no squabbling or negativity. If they're not in a match, they are supporting and cheering for each other."
According to Curtis, the Brewers have very different playing styles and different personalities, but she values their common commitment and care.
"I count myself lucky to have had them in the program at the same time because of the support and modeling they show each other and their teammates," Curtis said.
They're three friends who share parents, a love for tennis, and the distinction of being an ECHS first.
