This young man impressed me even further when he told me he possesses a one-handed backhand, a shot that, if you know tennis (Right Eddie Moreno and David Chisum?), is not an easy shot to hit.
This kid has a bright future ahead of him with his family background and his sheer atitude. Attitude is key in any sport beit football, baseball, soccer or tennis.
He is on his way to the Regional Tennis Championships at Blossom on Tuesday and The Eagle Pass News Gram wishes him and his teammate the best. Go out there, toss it up and let it fly, take no prisoners, have no mercy and represent!
I give you Maverick #1 Tennis Player Keith Newman.
First of all congratulations for being selected Player Of The Week by your Coach. What can you tell our readers about your last tournament and your performance?
Well, it was just about the most exhausting thing I’ve ever done in my life. I tend to lack technical skill when it comes to tennis, so I usually have to make up for it with pure athleticism. However, I managed to pull through and bring home the 2nd place medal despite being extremely tired throughout the matches.
What number
are you on the team?
I’m currently our #1 Boys Singles player.
What are your parents' names? Siblings' names?
My fathers name is Clayton Newman. My mothers is Adriana. My brother’s name is Nolan.
Who do you look up to? Who are your heroes?
Probably Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, they are the classic tennis elites.
What's your career highlight?
Probably the last game of this most recent tournament. It was a 4 hour long game, and we ended up with quite a few people watching our game, including my C.C.WINN teammates. It felt really good to win after such a long struggle, especially after my teammates and coaches ran on to the court to congratulate me.
Who's your favorite
college team?
Probably Texas A&M (A man after my own heart!).
Who's your favorite athlete and why? The sport does not matter.
Yuji Nishida of the Japanese Volleyball team. He just always seems super fired up when he plays. He truly has a passion and it's fun to watch.
Give me your favorite shot during a match
I once got 4 aces in a row to win a game. I even impressed myself that time.
Why do you like this shot? How does it make you feel?
I like this shot because it was not just some accident, I just felt they were going to be in every time. So it felt amazing for it to all work out.
Any hobbies?
I enjoy Weightlifting, Playing instruments like piano or guitar, video games, and playing Volleyball.
Favorite food?
I especially like Panda Express
What makes a good teammate?
One who supports you, and keeps your spirits lifted whether it's at practice or at games.
Talk to me
about your Coach.
I got really lucky with my coaches. Mr. Kypuros and Mr.. Jimenez are both really good at explaining things, and are very motivating during my matches. On several occasions both coaches have even kept me from giving up on matches by talking me through the games.
What's on your playlist? (Be specific. Artists and songs.)
The Title Track-Origami Angel, Crazy Train-Ozzy Ozbourne (YES!!! I actually met Randy Rhoads and Tommy Aldridge in 1982), Brittle Bones Nicky- Rare Americans, Rose Gold-Here's to Now, Black Hole Sun-Soundgarden (This kid’s cool, Chris Cornell).
What advice would you give a young student playing tennis for the first time?
Well, tennis is one of the hardest sports there is so don’t give up so soon just because you mess up a few times, it's gonna happen over and over again. You just have to continue pushing on and not lose focus, because over time your training will not betray you. Just stick with it, the results eventually come, and when they do it feels awesome.
What do you think of when you hear our fight song?
It reminds me I have a great school to represent when playing, so it drives me to fight harder.