VYPE Goose Creek August 2022

I C E WAT E R I N THE VEINS D E L U N A R E A D Y T O L E A D R A N G E R S O N C O U R T \\ By J o s h u a Ko c h

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.”

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