Wellesley Athlete of the Week is made possible with sponsorship support from Deland, Gibson Insurance. The family-owned and operated business has carried on this Wellesley tradition for over 30 years.
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Athlete of the Week: Charlotte McDonough
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Sport: Tennis, singles
When & how you got involved in tennis: I started playing tennis for fun during the COVID pandemic, so when I was around 12 years old. I didn’t start playing for the high school team until my sophomore year, but I’ve really enjoyed getting more into it since.
What you love most about tennis: I really love the girls on the team, there’s always a lot of laughter and it makes practices and matches something to look forward to. With tennis, I really like how competitive it is, both physically and mentally. Also being outside is a nice part of it too, especially when the weather is good.
Pre-match routine: I always like to have a snack, normally a clementine and some type of pretzels or Chex Mix.
Top goal for this season: My goal for this year is to go as far as we can and try to win states, but I also just want to have fun and enjoy it as much as possible for my senior season.
Thoughts about this year’s team: This year’s team has been so much fun to be a part of. We lost a few players from last year, so it’s been really great seeing how everyone’s been able to step up into different roles. I also really love how supportive everyone is on the team, it makes every match super memorable.
An accomplishment that you’re especially proud of: This year was my first time playing singles after previously only playing doubles for the team. I was a little nervous at first, but I’m proud of how I’ve improved at singles over the course of the season and how my confidence has grown.
A funny or inspiring story related to your involvement with this team: One of my favorite team traditions is doing hot yoga together. It’s always a fun way to bond with the team since everyone is kind of struggling in awkward poses at the same time.
Interests outside of tennis: I like hanging out with friends, watching movies, playing hockey, and playing the tuba. In school, my favorite subjects are probably biology and anatomy.
What other sports do you play, if any? Hockey
Coach Rob Miller on Charlotte McDonough: Charlotte has had a great start to the season. Currently her record at third singles is 7-1. Against Natick she won the deciding match to eke out a 3-2 team win. Though her only loss at third singles came against Needham, she avenged the loss last week by the same girl she lost to the first time. Off the court Charlotte is one of the most well liked teammates. She represents the Girls Tennis Team well and I am very proud of her.
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Athletes of the Week: Deniz Eryilmaz and Deren Bayulgen
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Sport: Tennis, 1st doubles
When & how you got involved in tennis:
Deniz: My first experience with tennis was joining a group lesson at the Wellesley Rec Center with Coach Sabin. That was in 6th grade, I have played ever since.
Deren: I started playing when I was 8. I started taking tennis more seriously when I moved to Wellesley through tournaments and joining the school team.
What you love most about tennis:
Deniz: The thing I love about tennis is the mix of athleticism and technique. Being strong and having good cardio is one thing, but combining that with technique and strategy is on a different level.
Deren: My teammates, how supportive my coaches are, and being able to play my favorite sport.
Pre-match routine:
Deniz: I keep my warm ups minimal and try to go into the match with a clean slate and mental game. If I warm up for an extended period of time, and lose confidence with a certain shot, I avoid hitting that shot and lose momentum.
Deren: I don’t have a pregame ritual but I warmup with my team
Top goal for this season:
Deniz: My top goal would be to sweep Brookline for the second time this season and to beat Newton-North during the night match this year.
Deren: To win the individual tournament starting Memorial Day weekend.
Thoughts about this year’s team:
Deniz: Going into the season, I had very little confidence with the state of the team. We lost a couple of good players last year and it seems as if all of our opponents have gotten better. However, the team has improved since the beginning of the season and we have proven ourselves against good teams with a record of 9-3 so far.
Deren: We didn’t start off great but we’ve improved a lot over the course of the season and have been winning more matches.
An accomplishment that you’re especially proud of:
Deniz: Beating Lexington’s first doubles team last year was definitely a highlight of my tennis career at Wellesley. Additionally, beating Needham’s, BC High’s and Brookline’s first doubles teams this year cemented me as one of the best doubles players in the division.
Deren: I’m proud of winning 8 of 11 matches this year.
A funny or inspiring story related to your involvement with this team:
Deniz: Watching a BC High mom yell at our first singles because of how bad her son was getting outplayed even while he was cheating.
Deren: A funny moment for me was when I forgot that I only had one ball in my pocket and went up to serve with just one ball during a tiebreak.
Interests outside of tennis:
Deniz: I love hanging out with my friends and going to new places. I am an avid poker player and play often with my friends. I also love to work on and drive cars
Deren: I like watching and playing football with my friends.
What other sports do you play, if any?
Deniz: I play a lot of golf in my free time and I do distance running.
Deren: Nordic Skiing in the winter
Coach Mike Sabin on Deniz Eryilmaz and Deren Bayulgen: Our 1st doubles team has been playing better and better as we go deeper into the season. At the beginning of the season our doubles positions were definitely not a strength of our lineup. Deniz and Deren have worked hard and have started getting more positive results. This has, in turn, led to us getting some important wins over good teams, most recently Needham. They lost to Needham in early April when we lost all 5 matches, but last week helped lead us to a big win with their comeback win at 1 doubles. We are looking for their continued improved play to help us finish the season strong and go deeper into post-season play.
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(Athletes of the Week are nominated by their coaches.)
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Past Athlete of the Week profiles
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