COACHES' PLAN IS TO LIGHT FIRE UNDER ZUNDER.Byline: Dana Haddad Daily News Staff Writer The Next Level. It is a term that has become a cliche in sports. It is a concept that consumes young athletes, because The Next Level often appears to hold the key to a college scholarship or a lucrative paycheck. Adam Zunder finished his sophomore year at Campbell Hall Campbell Hall can refer to:
He's close. Zunder enters today's qualifier qual·i·fi·er n. 1. One that qualifies, especially one that has or fulfills all appropriate qualifications, as for a position, office, or task. 2. for the Southern California Southern California, also colloquially known as SoCal, is the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Centered on the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego, Southern California is home to nearly 24 million people and is the nation's second most populated region, Junior Championships ranked 19th in the boys' 16-and-under division. He has been as high as 17th and has been competitive in matches with some of the top-10 players. He wasn't far from being one of 16 players who automatically qualified for the main draw, which starts Wednesday at Los Caballeros Sports Village in Fountain Valley Fountain Valley, city (1990 pop. 53,691), Orange co., S Calif.; inc. 1957. Chiefly residential, Fountain Valley also has diverse manufactures, including apparel, computer equipment, semiconductors, and medical equipment. A U.S. navy helicopter facility is there. . ``I feel I can come in around sixth, make it to the (quarterfinals),'' Zunder said. ``But I'd have to be playing really good tennis. Right now I'm playing really good.'' If Zunder makes it into the main draw by winning three qualifying matches this weekend, and if he can win two after the field is trimmed to 32, he'll all but guarantee himself a spot in the national junior tournament at the end of July. The nationals - quite a nice level at which to be playing. But there's work to do. There are changes to be made. Campbell Hall coach Steve Kuechel said Zunder needs to lose a little weight and get into better shape. ``He gets tired in the third set,'' Kuechel said. ``He also needs to improve his foot work.'' Former world-ranked professional Nels Van Patten The Van Patten family has made a name for themselves in Hollywood as a family of actors and directors. Members include:
Demeanor is not merely what someone says but the manner in which it is said. Factors that contribute to an individual's demeanor include tone of voice, facial expressions, gestures, and carriage. . What better way then to excite a new student than to compare him with John McEnroe John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. (born February 16, 1959 in Wiesbaden, Germany) is a former World No. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. McEnroe won seven Grand Slam singles titles — three at Wimbledon and four at the U.S. ? Like McEnroe, Zunder is a left-hander with shots similar to the former world No. 1 player. Unlike McEnroe, who brought attitude by the truckload truck·load n. The quantity that a truck can hold. truckload n → camión m lleno onto the court, Zunder is often described as the nicest kid out there. ``What he needs is the intensity and the fire of a John McEnroe,'' Van Patten said. ``His left-handed slice can run you off the court. He's got John McEnroe's serve. I'm trying to instill in·still v. To pour in drop by drop. in  stil·la tion n. more emotionality.''
Van Patten might be taking a risk here. One of the hallmarks of Zunder's game thus far, along with the backward spins that cause major problems for right-handers, is his personality. He's a humble player with a 100-14 record in two seasons at Campbell Hall. ``The most frequent comment he gets is how nice he is,'' said Ken Zunder, Adam's father. ``He's always the first to say, `Nice shot.' He has such an easy manner on the court that (his opponents) maybe let up a little. And then he gets them.'' In an age when style, fashion and attitude have seemingly replaced self-containment and traditional sportsmanship, Zunder is a breath of fresh air. With his sandy blond hair, freckly freck·le n. A small brownish spot on the skin, often turning darker or increasing in number upon exposure to the sun. tr. & intr.v. face and a touch of baby fat, Zunder is a Mark Twain character come to life, providing a rare contrast to the flashy, trash-talking pre-year-2000 athlete. Zunder might not project the ``emotionality'' Van Patten is seeking. But off the court, he speaks with a subtle inner-city accent common among trash talkers. Which is not only a paradox, but an indication he might already have a competitive edge - not demonstrative LEGACY, DEMONSTRATIVE. A demonstrative legacy is a bequest of a certain sum of money; intended for the legatee at all events, with a fund particularly referred to for its payment; so that if the estate be not the testator's property at his death, the legacy will not fail: but be payable but coy coy adj. coy·er, coy·est 1. Tending to avoid people and social situations; reserved. 2. Affectedly and usually flirtatiously shy or modest. See Synonyms at shy1. 3. . As he moved up the ladder in junior tennis, peaking at No. 12 in the 12-and-under division and No. 10 in the 14s two years ago, as well as leading Campbell Hall deep into the Southern Section playoffs at No. 1 singles the past two years, his temperament has served him well. Zunder might be beatable, but he's almost unflappable. ``I've seen him come back so many times,'' Ken Zunder said. ``He'll be down 5-2 and come back and win. If he goes to a third set, my money's on him.'' Zunder is comfortable with his image, and he sees no reason to change. ``I like the way I am now,'' he said. ``A lot of people don't think I'm getting the most out of my ability. I'm fine with the way I am.'' Ken Zunder is quick to point out that Adam balances his time with school work - he has a 3.0 grade-point average - and has other interests, like basketball and music. ``He's a normal kid,'' Ken said. If Zunder is truly on his game in the sectional, he'll likely get the chance to upset one of the top three in his age division: No. 1 Philip Sheng sheng (Chinese; “sage” or “saint”) In Chinese belief, a mortal who attains extraordinary or supernatural powers by self-cultivation and serves as a model for others. Confucius used the term to refer to exemplary rulers of the past. of Thousand Oaks Thousand Oaks, residential city (1990 pop. 104,352), Ventura co., S Calif., in a farm area; inc. 1964. Avocados, citrus, vegetables, strawberries, and nursery products are grown. , No. 2 Travis Rettenmaier of Camarillo or No. 3 Nicholas Weiss of Calabasas. Those players are better, Zunder says, only because they devote 12-15 more hours on the court each week than he does. Maybe that's the only key for Zunder to reach The Next Level. ``Maybe in the future I'll play more and peak later,'' he said. In which case Zunder will have outsmarted them all. AT A GLANCE Name: Adam Zunder Age: 16 Sport: Tennis Division: Boys' 16-and-under singles Ranking: 19th Tournament: The Southern California Junior Tennis Championships at Los Caballeros Sports Village in Fountain Valley. The top eight finishers are guaranteed entry into the United States Tennis Association “USTA” redirects here. For other uses, see USTA (disambiguation). The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States. National Junior Championships in July. Career highlights: Zunder, a left-hander, has been ranked among the top 20 in Southern California in his age group the past five years. The No. 1 singles player at Campbell Hall, Zunder has led the Vikings deep into the Southern Section playoffs while compiling a record of 100-14 between his freshman and sophomore seasons. --- Dana Haddad CAPTION(S): Box BOX: AT A GLANCE (see text) |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion