She walks out of the locker room and steps onto the court with a racket in hand. Anxiety pulses through her veins as she wonders if the four days of preparation will be enough for success.

Sophomore Katie Chang began her journey when she was clueless as to how far tennis would take her in the future. Now, she is the number one singles player on the varsity tennis team. She holds 52 doubles and singles titles and four Level 1 national titles.

Due to her numerous titles, Katie is now an acclaimed athlete on campus — but it was not always that way. She received her first racket at 9 years old, and now, through her hard work, she has achieved higher goals and has far more rackets than she ever thought she would.

“My dad basically threw me into my first tournament,” Katie said. “I practiced for it about a week before the tournament started. I ended up doing pretty well in that first tournament, so I decided to take tennis a little more seriously after that and make more of a commitment.”

As Katie improved on her skill, her passion for tennis amplified so much that she fell in love with it.

“I found myself dedicating much of my time to the sport, simply because I like the thrill of the competition,” Katie said.

Katie’s father, Carl Chang, is her coach as well as a professional tennis player. He plays an irreplaceable role in Katie’s tennis success.

“Finding the right balance between coach and father is a finicky one,” Carl said. “However, Katie has very easygoing personality and is coachable and teachable.”

In order to become more advanced and achieve the pre-professional title, Katie dedicated her entire life to a rigorous schedule of practices and games. After spending so much time at the tennis court, it has become her second home.

“I step onto the tennis courts at least six days a week and I practice about two hours on average every day and often over the summer I will practice twice a day,” Katie said. “I compete in tournaments almost every weekend and on the days that I do not play tennis I have fitness training.”

As her endurance and technique have improved, Katie has also had the opportunity to participate in more advanced matches.

“I’ve gotten used to playing a lot of matches within in a short period of time and I am really grateful for the experience and successes that have come with my hard work,” Katie said.

Despite her victories, Katie has lost a few advanced matches and even thought about giving up on tennis. At these moments of doubt, her enthusiasm for the sport keeps her going.

“If there is no losing, there is no Katie Chang,” Katie said. “I think losing games is what defines me as a good player. Every time I lose, I learn more about my opponent’s game and especially my own game and mentality on the court.”

Through tiresome workouts and postgame reflection, Katie’s six years of hard work has led up to achieving her dream of making the SMCHS tennis team.

“Tennis is an individual sport and I find being on a team very special and very enjoyable,” Katie said. “I just love being a part of a team where I can make friends and grow up with to learn from and with.”

Not only does Katie cherish her team, but the team cherishes Katie just as much. Her outgoing and cheerful personality energizes her teammates on and off the court.

“When Katie first joined the team, I knew she’d be a great addition,” said senior Alexis Coglitore. “I also quickly learned how sweet, hard-working and supportive she is. She’s a great leader and is an example of how all of us should act during each match.”

Katie’s achievements as a player and a teammate have earned her the position of team captain for next year.

“I think Katie will be an amazing captain for the team next year,” Coglitore said. “She definitely deserves this title because she has been a leader on the team since her freshman year. She’ll do a great job as captain and I’m excited to see all the great things she’ll be doing in the next two years.”

Life beyond high school seems distant, but Katie has already planned to make tennis a part of her future. She dreams of bringing her tennis skills and sunny smile to college.

“I think she has a bright future in tennis,” Carl said. “Whether she pursues a collegiate career or professional career, I am supportive of whatever her aspirations may be.”