AAPI Month Feature: Junior Sportsmanship Award winners

Santiago Munoz (Coach): “What’s most impressive about her—and so rare in players her age—is the combination of the most intense competitiveness mixed with the highest respect and class toward her coaches and opponents. … You can see in her eyes just how bad she wants to be good and how much effort she puts into every minute she spends on a tennis court. Yet I have never seen her say one negative thing about herself, a coach or an opponent.”

Toni McDonald (Tournament Director): “Her first tournament she played at CCRC, she lost more than she won. She never got upset but always had a smile on her face. She is now winning more matches and her attitude has stayed the same—very friendly and encouraging to her opponents.”

Adam He

Boys 12s Junior Sportsmanship Award winner

Adam He began playing tennis in 2019 at the age of 9 after trying such sports as soccer, baseball and basketball. He is a regular at Forest Lake Tennis Club under the coaching of Mike Miller. He is a leader at Parkway West Middle School where he volunteers at numerous events. Sportsmanship is just as important to He as performance, who prioritizes being polite and consistent in his attitude and behavior on and off the court.

Jason Mathes (Tennis Parent): “What most exemplifies Adam’s disposition is that he is always a gentleman on court and knows how to have fun and take the game in stride. He is everyone’s friend and makes an effort to get to know his opponents, win or lose. … He’s a good example of how to play the game and not let it play him. Adam is every bit as nice when he loses a tough match as he is when he wins a match easily.”

Forest Lake Coaches: “Adam displays a superb work ethic and respect for his peers and coaches on a daily basis. … Adam consistently makes good line calls and is always around the club and happy to hit with other students who ask for a warm-up before our high-performance academy.”

Kayden Xue

Boys 14s Junior Sportsmanship Award winner

Kayden Xue has competed in tennis since 2018 and practices out of Creve Coeur Racquet Club, where Troy Bray and Melisa Lemus coach him. Xue volunteers at the St. Louis County Library to assist with the summer reading challenge program. He also volunteers at the Jensen-Schmidt Tennis Academy for Down Syndrome

Troy Bray (Coach): “One of the most soft-spoken kids I have ever been around. It drives me crazy in practice to watch his generosity with line calls. His response is always, ‘I wasn’t sure, so I give them the benefit of the doubt.’ A motto that all kids should follow.”

Nominator: “He is very respectful and fair to all his opponents. Many parents mentioned that he’s really calm, and he rarely overreacts when things don’t go his way. … Kayden is very good at keeping track of scores. Many times when the opponent calls out an incorrect score that favors Kayden, he corrects his opponent. He is also very respectful when he challenges an opponent over a point or score he does not agree to.”

Arnab Chakraborty

Boys 16s Junior Sportsmanship Award winner

Arnab Chakraborty started in tennis as an 11-year-old and trains at Forest Lake Tennis Club while competing for Marquette High School. Chakraborty enjoys the physical and mental components of the sport, including the thrill of hitting a huge serve and adapting to various playing styles. The mental challenge keeps Chakraborty engaged in the sport, and he considers that piece just as rewarding as the physical side of the game.

Paul Lucas (Forest Lake Coach): “He consistently displays an outstanding positive attitude, work ethic and a respect for the game. Arnab is always kind and respectful to his coaches, peers and other parents. He is a pleasure to be around in group and private settings. I can’t think of a more deserving player to receive the sportsmanship award.”

Alex Nelle (Marquette High School Coach): “No matter who he played, he always treated his opponents with respect whether he was winning or losing the match. I saw that at Kirkwood, our tournament and throughout the season. I have seen the same behavior at USTA tournaments. … He doesn’t do anything that could be portrayed as disrespectful to his opponents, as he will chat with his opponents on changeovers and after the match.”

Aiden Qian

Boys 18s Junior Sportsmanship Award winner

Aiden Qian got his start in tennis as a 9-year-old. He trains at Creve Coeur Racquet Club and plays for Ladue Horton Watkins High School. Qian enjoys competing at tournaments, which gives him the opportunity to meet and play against opponents with diverse backgrounds. He is a leader of his school’s Science Olympiad team, guiding the squad to a state title while qualifying for the national competition last year.

Qian is the founder and head coach of a nonprofit tennis academy. The lessons bring together kids 7 to 13 years old. All money raised is given back to local elementary schools to support the tennis journeys of children in underrepresented communities.

Troy Bray (Coach): “AQ is relatively new to St. Louis, but he has garnered the respect of his peers for his ability to compete hard but remain fair with line calls and maintain respect for his opponents. He is a guy who forgets to make line calls because he always makes a conscious effort to give his opponent the benefit of the doubt.”

Nominator: “Aiden is always smiling regardless of a win or loss. His consistently positive attitude both on and off the court—and his respect for opponents and officials—epitomize what it means to display good sportsmanship.”

Have you noticed an individual displaying standout sportsmanship? Nominate him or her for the USTA Missouri Valley SuperSport awarding system or for a USTA league sportsmanship award by clicking here!