All-Area Boys’ Tennis Singles Player of the Year: No first-year jitters for Tran
A season removed from losing one of the program’s top players to graduation, there appeared to be a void at the top of the singles lineup for the Flintridge Prep boys’ tennis team.
Cartier Juan, a multiple-time former All-Area honoree All-Area Singles Player of the Year , graduated after bringing the Rebels back in to the playoff picture. With Juan gone, Flintridge Prep looked at some of the incoming talent to try to fill the void created by Juan’s departure.
In stepped freshman Derek Tran, who brought a big serve and a steady return shot to the fold to aid the Rebels in a transition season.
“I had never met Cartier, but had heard a lot about him and what he meant to the program,” Tran said. “I got to meet him and we talked about a couple of things. It mostly focused on just being yourself on the court and play the way you practice. That was some very good advice and it really helped me a lot.
“I’m just trying to contribute and do anything to help my team. I think I adapted well to playing at the high school level.”
Tran finished the season with a 33-9, 7-5 in the Prep League record and helped the Rebels (8-8, 4-2) take second place in league. For good measure, Trans won all six of his sets in the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoffs and helped Flintridge Prep win its first playoff match this century.
It’s because of those accomplishments that Tran was voted the All-Area Boys’ Tennis Singles Player of the Year by the sportswriters at the La Cañada Valley Sun, Glendale News-Press and Burbank Leader.
“That was a lot of fun to be a part of the playoffs,” Derek Tran said. “You just try to raise your game and play against some new competition.”
Tran fit in immediately and often gave the Rebels a boost, on and off the court.
“You go in and have your individual goals and team goals,” Tran said. “I’m confident with my level of play, plus I work out about three hours a day with my private coach.
“You find ways to get better and learn about your opponents in the time that you have. I like to play more from the base line and try to be aggressive with my shots in order to wear down the opponent.”
It’s a style that behooved Tran, who finished with the fourth-best record in league. Tran stuck to the business at hand on the court, providing a clearer picture of what he can bring to the Rebels, now and in the future.
“In singles, you have the ability to control what you do on the court,” Tran said. “It’s not that way in doubles, so you always have to be able to take control and adjust.
“You have to be well-conditioned and be able to think for yourself.”
He flourished in playoff matches against Charter Oak and Aliso Niguel.
“Being a freshman, we knew that he had a lot of tournament experience,” said Rebels Coach Morisa Yang, who is the All-Area Boys’ Tennis Coach of the Year after leading the Rebels to the playoffs for a second straight season. “We could see he was technically sound in a lot of areas and he went out there and did what he had to do.
“He’s not a big guy, but he’s very good with volleying and we talked about different things he could do just a little bit better. He’s gone out there and practiced his backhand and serving. He just missed qualifying for the CIF Individual Tournament, so it’s a goal of his to try to get there next year.”
In the CIF team playoffs, Tran won all three of his sets to help Flintridge Prep turn aside Charter Oak, 9-9 (78-68), in a wild-card match on May 9 at Arcadia Tennis Center. He then picked up another sweep the next day, but Flintridge Prep suffered an 11-7 first-round road defeat against Aliso Niguel.
“That was a lot of fun to be a part of the playoffs,” Tran said. “You just try to raise your game and play against some new competition.
“It was great to finally win a playoff match and it’s something we can build of heading in to next year.”
It didn’t come as a surprise to Flintridge Prep No. 2 singles player Ryan Lee that Tran would succeed instantly.
“I’ve known Derek for a while and we have the same coach,” said Lee, a junior. “So, I’ve seen him improve through the years.
“I thought he could come in right away and be a big contributor. He did very well in the playoffs. He’s the first one on the court for a practice or match and he’s done a great job at providing the team with a lot of energy. He’s charismatic and very humble. We appreciate that and he’ll continue to get much better.”
Twitter: @TCNCharlesRich
