College – Issue 30

pro and this also has impressed them – sometimes scholarship students just want to go, play lots of tennis, then return home. “Connor is totally focused on getting good enough to have tennis as a career, but he is also realistic. He is serious about his study and will get a good pre med or prevet undergraduate degree as well. He has always been hard-working with a great work ethic. We didn’t ever have to make him train or force him to study. He just got on and did it.’’

Connor’s summer programme in 2016 before starting at Berkeley:

• NZL residentials where Connor played as number 1 player. He made it to the quarter finals. • Under-18 NZL nationals. Connor is #1 seed in doubles and singles

• Premier level interclub tennis in Amsterdam for a season. • Tennis in Asia and Australia, playing at Futures tournaments in pursuit of ATP points.

• Wanaka and Te Anau Men’s open.

Dylan Heap

so patient with Connor and I. We are really grateful she spent so much time sharing her love of tennis with us. “I used to go down to the Cashmere Tennis Club with Dad and hit a ball around, but once Connor started getting good, I started to get more focused on playing. Tennis is now the passion of my life and, if I don’t play, I start to get very bored. “Connor has certainly been an inspiration for me as he has achieved so much at such a young age. He has encouraged me and is always willing to go out and practice with me – he’s a great role model because he has worked so hard, both on the court and at his study.’’ Dylan’s summer tennis programme included the under-18 NZL nationals, the under-16 Canterbury team events where he is number 1 seed, the under-16 hard court NZL nationals

Dylan’s aim is to play plenty of tennis this summer. His short-term goal is to make the 2016 Junior Davis Cup national team which will take part in the Oceania competition for a spot in the World Championships. His long-term goal is to follow his older brother, Connor, and get a scholarship to a top-ranked Division 1 tennis college in the US. “I wasn’t too sure about whether I would get the Junior Sportsman of the Year Award and was really pleased when I did,’’ says Dylan. “I have worked hard at tennis this year and practise two to three hours a day, six or seven days a week.’’ Dylan started playing tennis when he was three. His parents were not tennis players and it was his grandmother who encouraged him to start playing, he says. “She would spend hours hitting balls over a broom in her driveway and has been

and three ITFs in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland.

Dylan Heap

Prizegiving Citation

the Canterbury school champs for the third year in a row, winners of the South Island schools title and was third at Nationals. His doubles combination with Jack Murison was very successful in all competitions and he also won all but one of his singles matches at Nationals against much older opponents. In the Canterbury school championships, he won the Open doubles and was runner up in the Open singles.

Regionally, he has been a member of Canterbury age-group teams involved in National tournaments. This year he was ranked number one for his Canterbury team which came second and was third in the NZ Masters under-16 championships.’’

“As a Year 10 student, Dylan Heap has already been a member of the Senior A tennis team for two years and is currently ranked number two in the school side. This year he was a member of the team that won

- Mr Rob Clarke Director of Sport

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College Issue 30 2016

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