Junior Sportsman of the Year Jack Hansen- Ratter – advantage on centre court
B elieve in yourself, strive to be stronger, and never give up – that is the mantra of 2023 Junior Sportsman of the Year Jack Hansen-Ratter. At age 15, the Condell’s House student capped a remarkable year on tennis courts in New Zealand, Australia, and Asia with the awarding of the premier sports title at College. He also was named in the 2024 New Zealand Junior Davis Cup team to take on some of the world’s best young players at the Asia-Oceania qualifying tournament in Kazakhstan. Balancing tennis and school commitments, Jack has developed routines and devised study methods to still perform well in both areas. Achieving
his Silver Diploma – with Gold in Discovery & Challenge in tandem with a successful season on the court underlines Jack’s resilience and aspirational approach to each day. Jack adds that Tennis Master- in-Charge Josh Kim has played a positive role in enabling his ability to manage both sport and schoolwork, “and always supports me to perform at my best”. “Overall, College has given me the confidence to follow my tennis dreams while my parents have always encouraged me and supported my journey,” he says. “And 2023 has been my best year – representing New Zealand in Australia and playing in three ITF (International Tennis Federation) tournaments in Asia. I have
certainly returned to New Zealand a much better player.” Jack represented New Zealand in the 15 and Under section at the Australian Teams Championships on the Gold Coast in July 2023, recording impressive wins against rising Australian players. Next up, he won the Tennis New Zealand junior masters in Auckland. At the end of 2023, he faced strong rivals at three ITF tournaments in Thailand and Vietnam. Jack featured in a four- strong team chosen by Tennis New Zealand to compete at the tournament in Thailand and two tournaments in Ho Chi Minh City. Despite the challenges of international players and soaring
temperatures and humid conditions, he relished the experience.
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