FREDDY GONZALEZ | Staff Writer
For four years, Harlingen South’s Jeremiah Gonzalez has made a name for himself as one of the Valley’s best tennis players.
As a freshman in 2013, Gonzalez qualified for the UIL state tennis tournament in Austin as part of a doubles squad. A year later, he returned to Austin as part of a mixed doubles team and last year, as a junior, Gonzalez once again made it to state, this time as an individual qualifier.
Today, Gonzalez returns for his final time at state and his quest for state gold begins at 8 a.m. when he takes on Nick Ryniak of Southlake Carroll in a Class 6A singles quarterfinals match.
Regardless of what transpires in Austin, Gonzalez had an outstanding season, including winning the District 32-6A title as well as the Region IV-6A championship.
For his efforts, Gonzalez is one of three Valley tennis players up for the Boys Tennis Player of the Year award, which will be presented at the 2016 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet on June 14 in McAllen.
In addition to Gonzalez, Sebastian Arizola of Sharyland and Jack Wang of McAllen High, who Gonzalez beat in the Region IV-6A finals, are up for the award.
Gonzalez sat down with the Valley Morning Star recently to talk about his nomination as well as discuss his past, present and future.
Q: How does it feel being nominated for the Boys Tennis Player of the Year award?
A: I feel extremely honored to be nominated for this award. I feel it’s a very prestigious award and I’m glad to be one of the few athletes that were nominated.
Q: What would winning the award mean to you?
A: Winning the award would be a great blessing and honor because not very many people can say they have received this award.
Q: How would you define your high school career?
A: My high school career has been a great success. I have achieved my goal of going to state all four years and I feel that the only thing left to do is hopefully win state.
Q: How long have you been playing tennis?
A: I have been playing tennis since I was 7 years old.
Q: How did you get into the sport?
A: Tennis has always been in my family because my aunts Felice and Caty both played Division I tennis in college.
Q: You signed to play college tennis at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio earlier this season. How excited are you to start the next chapter of your tennis career?
A: Starting my next chapter at St. Mary’s is a blessing because the team is great and the campus is amazing as well. I’m very glad that I will be able to play there next year.
Q: Are there any sports that you might have missed out on in high school that you wish you could go back and play?
A: I played my share of other sports when I was younger like baseball and soccer, but I believe that if I hadn’t devoted my attention to tennis I would not be where I am today.
Q: Everybody is motivated by something or someone, what kept you motivated throughout your high school career?
A: My family, friends and coaches, especially my coach Don Vanramshorts, who really pushed me to stay focused everyday at practice. I couldn’t have been as successful as I am without the help of everyone I have been surrounded by in my life. Everyone influenced me greatly in some aspect.
This is part of a series on all the area athletes up for awards at the 2016 All-Valley Sports Awards Banquet, which will be held on June 14 at the DoubleTree Suites in McAllen. Up next: Harlingen High’s Addison Dickey, who is up for 6A Female Athlete of the Year.