After qualifying for the state final last season, Maximus Martin, captain of the El Paso High tennis team, is preparing for his final year before heading to Vassar College.
“I think my most memorable moment was last year when I was able to win regionals for singles and play at state,” Max said. “I’m glad that I can say I was one of the top players in the state. Not many people get to say that.”
Max was one of the 15-EPHS players that qualified for regionals last year.
His work ethic and success has been noticed by teammates and coaches alike.
“One of my most memorable experiences was watching Maximus Martin defeat his rival… after four or five years without a win, Max achieved his first victory, and I got to witness it. It was my first year coaching, so it was a big deal,” Assistant Coach Jesus Loya shared.
However, Max wasn’t always so driven. Before his freshman year, he hadn’t played competitive tennis.
“There was nothing that really drew me to it. My parents kind of put me in it. I’ve been playing since I was pretty young, but not very competitively until my freshman year,” Max said.
That marked the beginning of his four-year journey that led him to continue his playing career at Vassar College.
“I wasn’t sure where I’d end up, but once I discovered Vassar and connected with the coaches and players, I knew it was the right option for me.”
Max set new records and elevated the tennis team’s reputation, leaving the program in great shape as he is headed off to Vassar.
Though he has a strong connection with the sport, he knows his future won’t always involve tennis.
“I’m excited to learn new things, and eventually I’ll hang up the racket and do other things with my life,” Max said. “Outside of tennis, I hope to make it into med school.”
In Max’s final year, along with the loss of valuable players last season, left the team waiting for new talent to emerge.
“We have a freshman who took second place in varsity boys, which is kind of crazy for the second week of school. We also discovered about three new girls during tryouts,” coach Loya said.
Max offered some advice for his younger teammates.
“Keep believing in yourself. Just keep working hard,” Max said. “You can’t take shortcuts. It takes a lot of work, but if you believe in yourself more than anything, that will get you as far as you think you can go.”
