By Kristi Matal
Herrick Legaspi has learned valuable lessons for school and career by knocking tennis balls over nets – and he’s very good at it.
“I have learned both determination and teamwork from playing tennis,” said Herrick, an NUSD 7th-grader who recently captured first place for 12-year-olds in the Northeast Division of the U.S. Tennis Association Junior National Championship (TAJNC), held in Little Rock, Ark.
At Natomas Middle School, Herrick’s favorite subjects are P.E. and mathematics. His sights are set on attending college, where he wants to study computer science. Through tennis, he already knows sacrifice and dedication – and he’s accomplished a great deal in a short time. Herrick’s tennis exploits are a reminder that not all learning occurs in classrooms. Here’s a closer look at his journey from net to net:
He started playing tennis at the age of 3. His father, George, is his coach and they practice at least three hours every day at the Natomas Racquet Club. Tournaments are played on the weekends, so he is busy with tennis almost every day of the week. He likes tennis because it is an individual sport and that gives him the ability to concentrate and focus solely on the game.
The TAJNC has an application process and a committee reviews the applicants’ rankings from national tournament results to determine who will be accepted. At the time Herrick applied, his ranking was 28th and he was invited to participate. The Little Rock championship was held in August and Herrick played eight matches over the five-day tournament.
When asked how he felt about winning the first-place award he said, “It feels good!” Herrick has a lot to feel good about — his winning spree has continued since the USTA Jr. championship, and his national ranking recently improved to 20.
Herrick has another feather in his cap. Last May, he won a sportsmanship award at the National Selection Tennis Tournament. This is an award that is given by the Tournament Director who identifies the player who most exemplifies the qualities of a good sportsman, such as accepting the referee’s judgment calls, encouraging teammates, respecting opponents, losing without complaining and winning without gloating. “I want to treat others like how I want to be treated,” Herrick said.
The values Herrick has learned from tennis will serve him in both school be use in school or his future career. His father has been a big inspiration to him and he appreciates the hard work it takes to coach him. His mother, Rosalinda, and father both travel to support him and attend his tournaments.
Rosalinda said, “His father and I are very proud of Herrick’s achievements. He’s very disciplined and has good sportsmanship behavior.”
Herrick is also a regular kid – when he’s not playing tennis, he likes playing computer games like Pokemon Go and Class Royale. His advice for fellow students interested in excelling in sports is simple, “Just do it!”
(Kristi Matal, [email protected])
