Boys tennis season is back, and Freshman Howard Truei has been impressing opponents and teammates alike no matter the occasion.

   Playing every point like it’s the last, he gives the sport his all. Slice after slice, volley after volley, and groundstroke after groundstroke, Truei only further cements himself as the Male Athlete of the Month.

   “My mom introduced me to tennis at a young age,” Truei mentioned. As a result, he considers his experience to be his strong suit as a player. Apart from tennis, he enjoys cooking and playing the piano.

   “After playing with him for a bit, I could tell that he had a lot of potential,” said Coach Justin Nguyen, who believes Truei’s strongest asset is “…his willingness to learn.” “When we do conditioning as a team, Howard is always ready to lead the charge, and will even do more than we ask him to, because he knows it’ll help him in the long run,” said Nguyen.

  Sophomore Emilia Ghandour, who has known Truei since middle school, applauds his remarkable attitude. “He is able to maintain his composure and sportsmanship throughout the game, no matter what his opponents are like, and he always plays his hardest regardless of the score.” Also of note, according to Ghandour, is Truei’s “…wicked forehand.” “I feel bad for his opponents when they try to return it,” she added.

   It doesn’t take long for Truei to stand out, particularly because of how riveting it is to watch him play. With a killer serve (you do not want to be on the receiving side of it), spectacular reaction time, and truly inspiring endurance, every match is a testament to his skill.

   Truei’s impact, however, goes beyond the court. “He is a team player, both in tennis and in life. He’s always there to help you get better at tennis and in conversation,” said Freshman Jared Ashman. “On the court, he is a great player because of his footwork. Off the court, he is able to push the rest of us because he takes training very seriously. “He gives us the inspiration to do well,” said Junior William Kozma. “His influence allows us all to recognize what we are doing well at in the game and what we can work on,” Kozma added.

   “Howard has grown a lot over the season. Within the past few months, he’s gotten much better and his ranking has reflected that,” said Nguyen. As of the time of publication, Truei has a Universal Tennis Rating of 4, the highest on UC High’s Boys Tennis Team.

   Truei credits his ability to adapt as the main area he has improved on during these past few months. “This season, he has gotten much better by heading to private lessons and mastering his serves,” Ashman said.

   But this is just the start of Truei’s tennis journey. “Right now, he’s still a freshman, but he has managed to earn a lot of respect even from the captains,” said Nguyen. He added that, “Howard’s dedication is going to help him a lot, and he’s got a great support system behind him. I’m really looking forward to seeing where he goes.”

   Thanks to Truei’s exemplary condition, sharp instincts, and incessant flexibility, the title of being University City’s Male Athlete of the Month couldn’t be more deserved. If you’re looking for UC’s next unstoppable athlete, you might as well go watch one of Howard Truei’s matches.