A Maine Inspiration and Superstar: Nick Mathieu
TOPSHAM, ME - When reflecting back on his younger self, Nick Matheiu might not have thought that he would eventually become such a huge inspiration to children his age. However, as he developed into an accomplished tennis star, as well as an academic scholar, he has become just that – an inspiration. Not only is Mathieu an active member in the Maine tennis community but he has also become a role model for young aspiring student-athletes, and it all started on the court.
“My love for tennis started to develop when my father would take me down to the tennis club in the morning before school to hit. This experience – and also one of my favorite memories about tennis – is what motivated me to begin playing more tennis and taking tennis more seriously,” Mathieu said.
Ultimately Mathieu’s passion for tennis matched with his undeniable skill, is what drove him to seriously pursue tennis. When Mathieu was in high school, he played and won numerous tournaments at Maine Pines and Apex. He also won many esteemed tournaments all over New England. During his high school career, Nick reached the finals of the Maine State Singles Tournament twice (his freshman and sophomore year) and won the state title twice (his junior and senior year).
“It is a very humbling experience and amazing thing to look back on everything I have accomplished. However, when I look back at my involvement in Maine tennis, I don’t reflect on my success. Instead, I focus on the contribution I can make to the Maine tennis community,” he said.
To this day, Mathieu lives out his vision. In the summertime, he dedicates his time to coaching tennis to aspiring young children at the Bowdoin College and Brunswick High School tennis courts.
“At the end of the day, it’s not my wins or titles that matter, but it’s how I can inspire younger kids to achieve greatness too,” Mathieu said.
Nick Mathieu is from Topsham, ME.
In addition to the tennis court, for aspiring young tennis players who also want to excel in the classroom, Mathieu is the ideal mentor. His academic journey started at Colby-Sawyer College, where he played number one singles. He then transferred to Clark University, where he also played number one singles and felt he had more academic opportunities. After graduating in 2020 from Clark University with a degree in chemistry and the highest honors, Nick enrolled into Western University in Ontario, Canada, where he currently attends. More specifically, Nick is a student of the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, pursuing his Ph.D. in protein chemistry. For Nick, his academic success can be attributed to his journey and accomplishments on the tennis court.
“Being successful on the court and learning how to manage my time, failures, and successes, has allowed me to excel in the classroom. I believe it was fundamental for my future to learn the skills I acquired on the tennis court such as time management and a good work ethic. Those skills helped me perform in my undergraduate degree and are now helping me succeed in my graduate degree,” said Mathieu.
Although Nick has not played competitively in Maine since winning his high school titles (meaning competing in local tournaments), he still feels a tie back to the Maine tennis community.
“I haven’t played tennis competitively in Maine since states, but I have maintained a lot of close relationships with people I played with in the past and play with today. I just love the people in the Maine tennis community,” said Mathieu.
From tennis to his academics, Nick is a true inspiration to the Maine tennis community and has big plans for his future.
Related Articles
-
MTA HOF Class of 2020April 21, 2023The Maine Tennis Association Hall of Fame (MTHoF) has announced its induction Class of 2020. Recently active after a long hiatus, the MTHoF began in 1977 under the tutelage of William (Bill) Kayatta, Sr., a longtime prime mover in the inner workings of Maine tennis. Because the covid pandemic has interrupted all our lives, the banquet and ceremony honoring the new inductees, as well as those of 2019, has been postponed until the fall of 2022. Read More -
Glider Coaches for OthersNovember 29, 2021Authentic and selfless are two words that describe longtime Maine tennis coach Gavin Glider. Glider is authentic in the way he teaches and coaches – always wanting to give the most and the best to his clients or players. He is also selfless in the way he dedicates his time and gives back to the tennis community. Glider does it all and expects nothing because he simply loves his job, his clients, the community, and tennis. Read More -
Nick Mathieu's StoryNovember 15, 2021When reflecting back on his younger self, Nick Matheiu might not have thought that he would eventually become such a huge inspiration to children his age. However, as he developed into an accomplished tennis star, as well as an academic scholar, he has become just that – an inspiration. Not only is Mathieu an active member in the Maine tennis community but he has also become a role model for young aspiring student-athletes, and it all started on the court. Read More
Sign up for our Newsletter
Download the USTA App
