ICE WATER IN THE VEINS: Deluna Ready To Lead Rangers On Court
WHEN YOU ASK BAYTOWN STERLING COACH JOHN TREMMEL ABOUT MATTHEW DELUNA, THE VETERAN TENNIS COACH DESCRIBES HIM AS A GUY WITH “ICE WATER IN HIS VEINS”.
A key attribute for the man that will be Tremmel’s No. 1 boys tennis player heading into the 2022 season.
“In the hard matches you have to stay confident and can’t break,” DeLuna said. “I feel like I’m pretty good at that. That’s my strong suit.”
In last spring’s District Tournament, DeLuna started to experience pain in his right leg. It was enough pain that when he would stand up, there would be instant discomfort. He knew something was wrong.
In fact, DeLuna had suffered a fractured right fibula just above his ankle during that tournament. Since then, the senior has fully recovered and feels “confident” going into a year that he has anticipated in leading this team.
“I’ve trained hard over the past two years for this. I play almost every day,” DeLuna said. “I’ve dedicated my life to tennis. So, being No. 1 is a big achievement for me.”
Being the leader of a program that enters the fall seeking a third-straight Regional Semifinal appearance in the UIL Team Tennis Playoffs can bring with it some pressure. But welcomed.
“It’s crazy being from a school that no one talked about to being one of the highest achieving schools in the area,” DeLuna said. “It feels good to be known on the map for tennis.”