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Cho, boys tennis ready to move forward
Smith-Cotton sophomore Michael Cho lets his talents and skills shine through the sport of tennis.
Cho joined the sport because his brothers have played tennis since he was young. It was an easy decision for Cho to make because he wanted to be able to join them. During his freshman year he was able to play alongside his brother, David.
“My brother was significantly better than all of us and made the whole team better, but he was also very friendly and childish and made the team bond very well. I strive to be like him or even better than him,” Cho said.
This season, he is looking forward to playing with his teammates and working with S-C Boys Tennis Coach Rush Walters. Cho is thankful to have a coach who enjoys having fun and can inspire and encourage the team and others to do better. His goal is to make varsity and win every game he can.
“I think I have learned a lot more about how to be a better player and a better player all-around,” said Cho.
Throughout his time playing, many have taught him play better with skills such as forehands, backhands and positioning.
Walters has coached both Cho and his brother David within his four years of leading the S-C team.
“Of course he reminds me of David because they are both quiet and laid back, but when I need him to step up he brings what he needs to to the table,” said Walters. He knows Cho can be the best that he can be and is strong where he was placed. When Cho originally made the team last season, he was newer to the atmosphere and was at a lower rank, but throughout the season he gradually climbed his way up to lower varsity.
Cho’s doubles partner this year is Ethan Beard. Walters is excited to see what this pairing will bring.
“They both know each other well and they have a lot of chemistry that will help them during matches,” Walters said.
Overall, Walters is really looking forward to the season. He loves the matches and tournaments that they compete in and his favorite thing is being able to encourage his athletes to do better in between matches. He is confident in all of his players and knows that they will do well at the positions they were placed.
One of Walters’ biggest goals for this season is to get more playing time for his junior varsity team. He managed to get three tournaments dedicated to the JV team. He believes that compared to other years, this year the team has more depth of skill. The program continues to grow each year as well. There are 19 boys on the teams overall this year. Walters views each team member as not only a well-rounded player but person in general.
It is players like Cho who inspire Walters to continue his coaching career.
“I want to strive to be the best coach I can be so I can teach these kids to strive to be the best players and people they can be,” said Walters.