We arrived on the first day for the Maze Cup competition, and all our teammates from Southern California got together, warmed up and had dinner at Alpine Hills Tennis Club.  My teammate and I, Deiton Baughman, then met our host family. We were fortunate enough to have our own guest house on their property.  Staying with the host family was one of the highlights of our trip.

 

The competition between NorCal and SoCal was intense. The match came down to the last day, both teams being tied in matches, and the victory being decided by a two-set margin and SoCal prevailing.

 

It was an honor for me to be selected to represent SoCal at the Maze Cup and included a bit of pressure knowing there was a straight 27-year history of winning for the SCTA.

 

The trip also gave me an opportunity to visit colleges I might be interested in attending next year, Stanford and UC Berkeley.

 

I was coming off a big win in the CIF-Southern Section Individual tournament. CIF is always a challenging competition.  Winning it is one of the goals I set at the beginning of the year.  Knowing that we are competing in one of the toughest sections in the United States, and I’m able to represent my high school and teammates keeps me motivated to work hard throughout the year.

 

Whether it’s playing CIF or representing my section at the Maze cup, I always get motivated to give 100% when I’m playing for my team.  Our sport is based on individual accomplishments and it is a different feeling when you are on a team.  It’s very inspiring knowing that the other members are behind you when you’re on the court.

 

It was a unique experience having the CIF final broadcast with announcers on the Internet, FOXSportsWest.com.

I have had a lot of support from my coaches; my dad, Chuck Brymer; Chris Lewis and my high school coach, John Kessler.  I appreciated all they have done for me.

 

These two events have such a long history and I feel very privileged to be a part of both of these teams.