POLAND OH- Poland junior Andrew Aey has quickly become a standout on the Bulldogs’ tennis team, not only for his strong performance on the court but for his leadership and commitment to the program’s growth. In a recent Player Profile on YSN, Andrew sat down with Anthony Hartwig to discuss his development as a player, his family’s influence, and why representing Poland means so much.

Aey described the transition from being one of the youngest on the team to an upperclassman leading by example. “It’s a great feeling, honestly, to kind of just see the younger generations, newer players coming in,” he said. The Bulldogs have seen a notable increase in participation since Aey’s freshman year, up from sometimes just seven players a match to now fielding as many as 15. “The attendance really jumped up and it’s really sweet to see other kids kind of just getting into the sport,” Aey reflected. Having picked up a racket at three, Aey tried several sports before tennis stuck. He credits his first coach, Susan Sansciola, for being a key influence: “She really helped me really improve my tennis game throughout the years. She was the first coach I had when I kind of started taking it seriously around the age of seven.”

Aey shared that mastering the mental side of tennis has been the toughest challenge: “It’s really something that just comes with experience. It’s not like a stroke you just go out and work on … it just happens to you over time.” The junior standout also emphasized the crucial support of his family, especially his parents, in making his tennis journey possible, with countless hours and resources devoted to getting him to tournaments across the country. International tennis stars have inspired Aey, too—Rafael Nadal in particular. “He has one of my favorite quotes: ‘Losing isn’t my enemy. Fear of losing is,’” Aey cited.

But it is donning the Poland jersey that remains closest to Aey’s heart: “It means so much to me, honestly, even more than USTA, anything like that. I live in a community of just great people … I wouldn’t be here without the support of my community, my parents, the coaches, people in my life.” Now, as Aey eyes the upcoming district tournament on May 22nd and 23rd, Aey hopes to continue making his school and community proud—on and off the court.

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