We are honored to highlight Ben Lee, a senior tennis player from Jackson High School as our male athlete spotlight for the month of November. Read on to learn more about Ben and his tennis career!
SCSC: When did you start competing in tennis and what drew you towards the sport?
LEE: I grew up playing a lot of sports, mostly soccer, baseball and tennis. I do martial arts as well, so I did quite a few growing up. I didn’t take tennis seriously until I was like 7 years old. My dad really influenced me because he himself was a great tennis player. I would watch him hit the courts every day and it inspired me to start. I would practice with my dad and ever since then I’ve been just playing tennis.
SCSC: What is your favorite thing about playing for Jackson High School?
LEE: One of my favorite things about playing for Jackson is that there is such a strong and supportive program, especially under the guidance of Coach Hutt. He is such a great man, he puts in so much work and he helps in every which way he can. He’s also had a very big influence on me with the mental side and being there every match. It’s an honor to be part of such a great tennis program.
SCSC: Are there any players that you look up to? Where do you pull inspiration from?
LEE: I used to do this summer camp with one of my other coaches, who has now moved to California, but he had this really good group of college kids at the camp. There was a guy named Colton Smith, who currently plays for University of Arizona and he’s their number one tennis player. He made it to the semifinals of NCAA last year and he’s such a great guy. I look up to him and his work ethic is amazing. He’s not afraid to reach out and help the younger kids as they develop. Him and I have a great bond, whenever he is on this side of town, he’ll shoot me a text and we’ll go out and hit on the courts. He’s a really good guy overall.
SCSC: Do you have a pre-match routine?
LEE: Just a basic tennis routine. I’ll get my body loose to avoid any injuries when you get on the court. I’ll do some light cardio and dynamic stretching. I tend to go hit a few shots before my match just so I can mentally focus and figure out what kind of shots I’m going to do ahead of time.
SCSC: Who has been the most influential coach or mentor throughout your athletic career?
LEE: That would be probably my dad, mom and sister. Also, my friend who has been next to me since preschool so he’s kind of like a brother to me. My dad has been there from the very beginning, teaching me all the basics and showing me how hard work and discipline can make a big difference. He’s just kept encouraging me whenever I feel burnt out. My friend Eugene actually plays soccer, but he picked up tennis because he wanted to try it out, so we were on the tennis team last year together. That was fun because he’s always cheering me on.
SCSC: What are some life lessons you have learned through athletics?
LEE: One of the big ones that come out of tennis is resilience. In tennis you’re constantly flipping between winning and losing, so you have to have the mindset of always fighting and never giving up. Persevering is a big one and that also applies to real life when something’s not going right but you must pull through. Another one is sportsmanship and respect.
SCSC: What’s your favorite memory from your time playing at Jackson High School?
LEE: My favorite memory would be all the times I’ve been to state. We have gone three times in a row already, hopefully four this year. Every time we go on those trips to state it feels really good because all the hard work at practices and intense matches and fighting through and taking down your opponents feels very good. Getting to accomplish something like that and take that home and representing your school is very special.
SCSC: What are your plans after graduation?
LEE: After graduation I plan to play D1 Tennis. I am committed but I’m keeping that decision private for now. After I graduate from college, I want to stay in the tennis world and share the love of the game with other people.