From just one fun game of tennis to becoming captain of the team

Looking back on his tennis career senior Zachary Jones, prepares for the best year yet. “Throughout the year I am always working to improve my skills and my role as a leader, ” said senior Zachary Jones. Photo By Erica Hedrick

At the age of seven, Zachary Jones got his start in the tennis world. Jones, who will be a senior at Crown Point High School this year, held a tennis racquet for the first time when the previous girl’s high school tennis coach and family friend offered to take young Jones and his two older sisters out to hit a couple of tennis balls. After hitting back and forth, he realized that tennis was his sport.

 “I realized I wanted to do tennis when I realized I was kind of good at it, ” said Jones.

 While he was still in elementary school, he would go out to the tennis courts and play some tennis with his sisters. Although, it wasn’t until middle school when he got to get serious.

Then Jones started to practice really hard at tennis and during his 8th-grade year was able to be a manager for Crown Point’s boys tennis team. With the manager position, he was able to practice with some of the high school boys. This gave him the upper hand since he was able to get to know the coach and practice with more experienced players. 

Then the time came his freshman year. During Jones’ freshman year of high school, he got to play in the varsity one double position. 

Then the following year after practicing during the summer and the off season, he was offered the varsity second singles position. Jones’ coach also realized how much work Jones had put in during the offseason, so he offered Jones the captain position.

 “I was really honored when my coach decided to make me captain since I was only a sophomore,” said Jones. 

After getting both of those positions his sophomore year, he decided that he wanted to start getting more involved in tennis competitions his junior year. With his guidance during his junior year and the team’s hard work, they were able to be sectional champions. After the season came to an end, he was awarded the conference all-star award. Jones’ hard work and encouragement did not go unnoticed.