Q&A with Maury HS tennis player Patrick Stiles
NORFOLK, Va. —
Name: Patrick Stiles
Age: 17
Sport: Tennis
Sports participated in: Tennis, Swimming, and Volleyball in high school
Years in current sport: 10 years
Team/s: MHS Varsity Tennis Team
School: Maury High School
Grade/Year: Senior (12th grade)
Thoughtful, talented and teachable are three key characteristics every coach wants in an athlete. Thoughtful about how their actions impact the play as well as their teammates and improve their performance. Natural talent is nice to have, but when they’re teachable, it helps hone their raw talent and build skills that take them to the next level.
When Maury High School senior Patrick Stiles joins a team, he’s bringing all three. While he is a natural athlete, he isn’t one to just rely on his skills. Patrick’s mentality sets him apart as he thoughtfully processes what he has learned from his coaches, in practice, and from past failures to improve his game. This spring will be Patrick’s last season with Varsity Tennis at Maury High. Though this chapter may be nearing an end, he plans on keeping tennis as a “source of joy and fitness” for years to come. Let’s wish him a season of much success and several aces.
What are your personal goals within your sport/athletic dreams?
Patrick Stiles: Although I do not intend on playing tennis at a collegiate or professional level, I hope that it continues to be a source of joy and fitness for me for a long time. I intend on pursuing this sport intramurally or on a more casual basis in college as a means to get exercise and find friends as well as compete for a win.
What is your biggest challenge in your sport, and what do you do to manage this challenge?
Stiles: My biggest challenge in this sport is staying level-headed throughout a match. Tennis is as much a head game as it is a challenge of skill, and the ability to stay calm despite upsets is a vital skill to have.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
Stiles: The best piece of advice I’ve been given in the context of tennis is to play as if you have amnesia. If you performed poorly in a previous point or game, it’s best just to forget it and move on so that you can focus on the present point rather than going over your past failures in your mind.
What do you love about your sport?
Stiles: I love the strategy aspect of tennis – given your opponent’s shots you have to respond with a shot that will give you the best advantage in the point, considering placement, speed, spin, etc. of the ball. There are so many possibilities in each point of tennis.
Do you have a pregame ritual you follow?
Stiles: I don’t have a specific ritual I follow before a match, but I do like to make sure my mind and body are in the right place before I begin playing. I need to make sure I am well-hydrated and feel ready for action before I can give it my all.
What do you like to do outside of your sport?
Stiles: Outside of my sport, I love learning about new subjects in school and challenge myself greatly in the academic sphere. I also love picking up different hobbies and extracurriculars like running various clubs or learning how to crochet.
What has being a member of a team taught you?
Stiles: Being a member of a tennis team has taught me that despite my performance, my team also has to perform to secure a win. Therefore, it’s important to uplift the other members of my team and make sure everyone is getting everything they need to perform to the best of their ability.
What is the best piece of advice you received from a coach or mentor?
Stiles: Another great piece of advice I’ve received is whenever you get nervous or in your head about something, you should visualize yourself making the shot beforehand. This has helped me with my nerves on various occasions and helped me figure out what I want to accomplish with a specific shot.
Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it.
Stiles: It’s impossible not to make a mistake in a tennis match as there are so many points and opportunities for misfortune. However, when you make a mistake, it’s important to let it go. I have played too many matches where I have let mistakes get into my head which led to perpetual poor play.
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