Whether as part of a team or on his own, La Jolla High School junior Leo Thieler knows his way around a tennis court.
Thieler helped his La Jolla High boys team win the CIF San Diego Section Division I championship on May 3 over Patrick Henry High. In the days that followed, he worked his way through the singles competition, making it to the third round before losing.
Having played tennis since he was 3 years old — and in tournaments by age 7 — Thieler said he’s built confidence and momentum on the court over the years.
“I love the competitive nature of it,” he said. “I also enjoy the sport itself because of the physical and mental aspects involved. It taught me a lesson … I just need to calm down and focus so I am in the right headspace to win difficult matches, because, in my opinion, the mental side of tennis is the hardest part of it.”
Both as a singles and team player, the sport has its advantages, he said.
“It’s fun to be one on one, when you have no other help,” he said. “In those situations, you have no one but yourself. That always drives me to get better.
“[And] having a team to me helps me do better. You feel like you have to do well so you guarantee your team a win. It teaches you how to be a team player and adapt to new people and gives you a new perspective.”
Ultimately, however, the results keep Thieler motivated. He said he likes to improve his skills, then see the results on the court. Inspired by doing well, he strives to build even more skills to continuously get better.
“Putting in work and getting good results motivates me to put in more work,” he said. “My parents taught me at a young age that the more you do something the better you get. So they would take me to lessons and practices and consistently encouraged me.”
That encouragement came in handy during the recent CIF San Diego tournament.
“I’m pretty happy,” Thieler said of his performance. “We won against someone that had only lost one match before that. … And my whole family got to watch.”
To help mentally prepare for the season and especially the playoffs, Thieler said he gives himself a list of “the most immediate things I need to work on and prioritize that. I also like to eat healthier things and keep my nutrition stable. I feel like a big part is being confident in myself. That’s what helped me before. Based on my ability, I think I play better than others.”
Thieler said he plans to continue playing for La Jolla High and eventually in college. “I want to keep going for as long as I can.”
La Jolla Athlete of the Week features athletes from all sports in high school (La Jolla High, The Bishop’s School, La Jolla Country Day School) and other local youth sports. We’re looking not only for the stars of competition but also for student-athletes who set an example for teamwork, academic achievement and/or community involvement. Please email your nominations, and a way to reach your nominees, to Editor Rob Vardon at [email protected]. ◆
