Each year, the Capital Area Tennis Association (CATA) recognizes outstanding junior tennis players with a variety of awards. The tennis community comes together for an evening at the CATA Junior Awards Banquet to celebrate the winners of each distinction.
At this year’s banquet, ATA College Prep seniors Abigail Chiu and Alejandro Rodriguez will both be recognized as winners of female and male CATA Player of the Year for 2016/2017.
“I was honestly surprised when I heard I won,” Alejandro said. “So many high level players have received this award in the past, and to now be in that grouping is really special.”
A big part of the CATA awards is the example the winners have and continue to set for the younger tennis players throughout the Texas tennis community. While their paths to success speak for themselves as examples, Abi and Alej offered a few words directly for the younger student-athletes.
“To the up-and-coming juniors, my advice would be to find the right people to be in your corner,” Abigail said. “When you find the right people, you find yourself enjoying the process more, and that has always been the most important thing to me.”
For Alejandro’s advice to the younger generation, the focus is on the future.
“For me, I think the most important thing for up and coming juniors to learn is how to translate lessons from the court to all of the other areas of their lives. If you can apply the discipline, hard work, and resiliency that tennis teaches onto other areas of life, you can really excel at whatever it is you choose to do.”
While these are individual distinctions, winning the same award as seniors, and doing it together, makes it extra special for such close friends.
“It’s great to be able to win this with Abigail because I have seen first-hand the hard work and discipline she puts in to reach the level of success she has,” Alejandro said. “We have shared many great memories in the past, and with college approaching so quickly it is very special to create another one like this.”
This year, the CATA Junior Awards Banquet will be on Sunday, April 30 at the Crown Plaza Hotel. In looking back, both Abi and Alej again recognized the support system around them as a key factor in their success.
“I would of course have to credit my personal coaches: Brandon, Doug, and Dio for being the main three key people since I was 13 years old,” Abigail said. “Everyone has sacrificed, and put in their efforts towards me and my journey, but nobody more than those three.”
Alejandro agreed.
“Tennis might be a sport an individual sport but there is no way to make it all by yourself. I wouldn’t have achieved nearly as much without the amazing coaching staff at ATA. My primary coaches Brandon Davis and Dio Miranda have both been an incredible source of wisdom to tap into, my parents have been infallible in their support, and my teammates at the academy are a constant source of motivation. It really is a team effort.”
Congratulations to Abigail and Alejandro!