By Tom Rohrer
With harsh weather affecting the area for almost half of the year, Thurston County is not considered a hotbed for tennis talent.
However, that hasn’t stopped Capital High School Freshmen Ty Gentry from shooting up the national rankings in the sport for his age group.
The 14-year-old Gentry is considered to be one of the top 14 and under players in the entire nation, and he has the track record to prove it.
However, the success Gentry has achieved has failed to go to his head, as the outgoing and friendly freshman is enjoying being a part of Cougar team with his friends.
“I’m enjoying it, I like the team aspect of it,” Gentry said before CHS’s match against W.F. West High School on Monday, Sept. 10. “I get to be with friends and meet new people. I’m enjoying that right now.”
It’s clear to see when Gentry hits the court that he is indeed worthy of his high ranking. Standing at a lanky 6”1′, Gentry glides across the court with ease while at the same time displaying strength and power behind his serve and overhand winners, and touch with exquisite drop-shots and volleys at the net.
According to Tennisrecruiting.net, the sport has taken notice as well, as Gentry has generated interest from Pac-12 universities and holds the site’s number two ranking in the state. The winner of the Under-14 2011 Junior Sectional Championship at Tualatin Hills Tennis Center in Beaverton, Ore., Gentry will be traveling to Florida this upcoming weekend for a tournament on the Nike Junior Tour, where he will be facing off against the top 16 kids his age in the country. A veteran (despite his young age) of the tennis circuit, Gentry is expecting a challenging, but rewarding experience in the Sunshine State.
“It’s a big prestigious tournament,” Gentry said. “It’s the top 16 kids in the country 14 and under. It’s actually on clay this year…..it’s going to be really tough and really different because we don’t have clay in Washington. It will be fun, the kids are really good.”
With a national reputation, Gentry will have a target on his back when facing opponents. However, Gentry approaches every match the same, and leaves distractions behind the baseline.
“I just take every match for what it is,” Gentry said. “You always have to take every kid seriously because you don’t know how good they are.”
Though he has only been on the Cougar team for three weeks, Gentry has already impressed longtime CHS head coach Tom Alongi, both with his play and attitude.
“He’s got a full game,” Alongi said. “He’s not just a baseline player; he goes to the net too. So far, so good.”
“I always tell the kids when they try out, this is high school tennis and that’s what it is. There is no special treatment. He’s been here on a regular basis and he improves the play of the other players. I think he’s enjoying that aspect of it. He hasn’t tried getting out of anything or thinks he’s better than anyone.”
Gentry’s success as a player, along with his positive and friendly demeanor, is largely due to a terrific relationship with mother April, who is there to support her son on and off the court.
“Three months (after he began playing tennis) she started playing and we’ve always hit ever since,” Gentry said. “I can always ask her things like what I need to work on and she always is there. She always comes to practices and on the road she can help me.”
“The reason I started playing tennis is because Ty was really loving the game,” April Gentry said. “So I picked up the game and it became something the whole family does.”
April Gentry is proud of her son’s success in the sport and the attitude he displays off the court.
“It just makes me very proud, because he has dedicated a lot of time and energy and made a lot of sacrifices that other kids probably wouldn’t have made,” April Gentry said. “He was getting up at four in the morning for an entire year (to train). He’s a very humble kid and when he wins or he loses you can’t tell the difference. He doesn’t ride any highs to high or lows to lows. I’m really proud of him and who he’s becoming as a young man.”
In order for Ty to travel to tournaments and train at academies, the family has had to make a lot of sacrifices.
“Pretty much our whole family budget has revolved around how we handle tennis,” April Gentry said with a chuckle. “We don’t go on a normal vacation; my vacations are tennis tournament vacations.”
While his career path as a tennis player is still forming, the confident but retrospective Gentry is focusing on the high school season and how he can become a better player.
“I’m just trying to get my mind in the game better. That’s always very important, having a good strategy,” Gentry said. “My main focus is working on my mind and setting myself up for success.”
“I’m trying to go to state,” Gentry said. “My plan is to win state, that’s what I want to do. Otherwise, I’m going to try and be a good team player and a role model for the younger kids and just go out and do my best.”
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