Athlete of the Year, Girls Tennis: Christina Le, Union High School

Christina Le was named the Columbian's Girls Tennis Player of the Year after winning the 3A bi-district tournament and placing fifth in the state championship. June 9, 2009. (The Columbian, Troy Wayrynen)

Christina Le continued her successful career at Union with her third career berth in the state semifinals, and second straight at the 3A Girls Tennis Championships (she reached the semis of the 4A tournament as a freshman at Evergreen). Le, a junior, finished fifth at last month's state tournament to help Union post its second straight second-place finish.

What was your most memorable moment from the season? Our coach (Dave Heitsch), he always tries to make us relax, so he jokes around with us. And on the car ride up he was always like, 'Oh, yeah, back in my day we always bonded as a team and stuff,' because all the guys were watching movies and the girls were just, like, listening to music. So we weren't really interacting, and he's all like trying to get us to make conversation. And all the guys turned off their movies and they're like, 'OK, Heitsch, you wanted to bond.' And then he's like, 'Uhhhhh,' and he couldn't figure out what to say, and were like, 'Oh my gosh,' and then they would turn the movie back on and he'd be like, 'Ok, Ok, who was the troublemaker of your elementary school?' And we were like, 'I don't remember.' And he's like, 'It's you! Because you don't know, so it has to be you!' Or we'd do trivia questions, like Heitsch would come up with a bunch of trivia, like, 'What's the state flower of California?' Or, 'Which state grows the most corn?' And so we would always try to answer them, and it would be fun.

What advice would you give a younger player? You have to love what you do, because if you don't, then what's the point in playing it at all in the first place? And you have to set yourself goals, and you have to always strive to achieve them.

Do you have any hobbies? I like to draw. I like to play with my dog. I have a terrier mixed with chihuahua, but people say he looks like a deer. I don't know why they think he looks like a deer, because I used to have a picture of him on my phone and everyone's like, 'Why do you have a deer on your phone?' And I'm like, 'No! that's my dog!'

What will you remember most about this season? Being able to hang out with my team and watching them bond as more than a team. We became more like a family, and we support each other for each match. We would always try to stay behind as long as we can in order to cheer everyone on, make sure that they don't get down on themselves, try to cheer them up and keep their energy up.

What's been the most embarrassing moment in tennis? Uh, state tournament (last month), cramping up. It was pretty funny, because every time my legs cramped up I was like, "Cramp!" and I would fall. I couldn't move my legs and I would just fall down. The sports trainer came out, and I heard when she went back in she's like, "I didn't know someone with so little muscle could cramp."

What is one big goal that is not associated with tennis that you hope to accomplish? Maybe to travel the world, that would be exciting. Because I kind of want to go back to where my parents used to live. They lived in Vietnam, and I kind of want to visit their hometown and visit my family that's there. I've never met them before, so it would be nice to visit them before any of them, like, die or something.

Who's been your most influential coach? My dad, because he knows my game the best and he's been there since the beginning. And he's always studying these videos. Like, every weekend morning I would come downstairs and he's watching, whether on a forehand, backhand or serve. He watches these instructional videos and he studies them, so he pretty much has the game down. And he reads the magazines and stuff, and he's like, 'OK, let's go out on the court and play this.' He knew a lot before, but I think now that I've started playing and stuff he's started studying it even more to help me improve.

What's one thing about you people would be surprised to learn? People think I'm really mean and kind of stuck up at school, like, if I don't know them. Because, I'm really shy in new situations and stuff. So I'm really quiet and I don't really talk to anyone. I always keep my head facing my paper, and I have my head down and stuff. But all my friends know that it took a while for them to get to know me. When I went to Evergreen, it took a little more than half the season for the team to get me to open up. So I was really shy. I'm usually shy at first, in the beginning. And then once people get to know me, I start to open up more.

Who is your favorite teacher? Mr. Warner or Mr. Cook. Warner is just a funny (language and composition) teacher. He likes to make learning fun, and he's kind of a sci-fi fantasy nerd kind of person, so when he points to something on the projector, he uses his light saber, and then he's like, 'OK, turn in your homework to R2-D2,' and he has this huge Coke (cooler) of R2-D2. And at the end of the year he made this sci-fi fantasy movie, and apparently my forehand is in it. I forgot who he said I was playing against — it was either Darth Vader or Batman or something. I didn't get too see it because I was up playing tennis. And Mr. Cook, he's a good history teacher. He's very passionate about his work, and he likes to drill us anytime he can. But he's really funny and he likes to joke around with us as well.

Have you ever met anybody famous? I've met the Bryan brothers (Bob and Mike, the top doubles team in the world), James Blake. We went to the U.S. Davis Cup. ... I met the U.S. team there.

What is one big goal associated with tennis that you hope to accomplish in the next couple years? Getting a scholarship to the college that I want to go to, rather than going to a college that won't really give me the courses that I want.

What is one thing most people don't understand about tennis? People think it's a weak sport and you don't have to put any effort in. But I think it's just the level that they're thinking of, because at my level I have to run a lot, I get exhausted after matches, and the balls are a lot faster than people think. Because everyone's like, 'Oh, yeah, they're so easy,' and stuff, but it's like, if they played at our level then they would understand that the ball does go fast and you do have to run hard out there. Tournaments are a whole different level from high school. Because high school, they're kind of there to have fun and stuff, do a sport, and it's not really serious until the state level, kind of.

How did you get your start in tennis? I used to play basketball before, and then my dad was, like, a big tennis player, and he played every weekend when we lived in California with all his friends and stuff. And I would just watch from the sidelines. And then he decided to try and teach me, and he said I can play this when I get older and stuff, because in basketball I wouldn't have enough stamina. I could do it for a long time, like, throughout my whole entire life. Whereas people who play football can't play football anymore when they get older, or people who play basketball, they can't run as fast.

What does tennis mean to you? It means everything. I've put so many years — well, six years — into it. And I'm setting myself a goal to get a scholarship for college. And that's my ultimate goal right now. I don't want to put the pressure on my parents until I try to pay for it. And this is a way I can help them out, too, and kind of slightly repay them. I can't repay them for all the times they've taken care of me. But this is one way I can help out a little.

How does it feel to be selected as the Columbian's Girls Tennis Player of the Year? It feels pretty good because I know there's a lot of people out there who deserve it, too. But I'm just glad that I got picked, and it's a great opportunity for me.

What does it mean for you to play for Union? It means a lot, because it's my school, I get to try to uphold the pride of Union, per se. This is a way that I can, it's kind of hard to say. You kind of represent your school, kind of. And this is a way I can do it. Because I don't think I'd do very well at football or something like that. I'd probably run the opposite — I wouldn't run towards the goal, I'd probably run off the court, off the field, trying not to get tackled.