If 11-year-old Owen Nguyen doesn’t heed his alarm, he risks missing tennis practice.
Not because that practice is scheduled at an ungodly hour.
Owen hones his game at the public courts at the Coquitlam Tennis Club and Gate Park in Port Coquitlam, and if he doesn’t get there early on a hot summer’s morning, he may not get a court at all.
Clearly Owen has been a diligent early-riser as he’s qualified as one of the youngest players in the Canadian U12 national championships, to be held in Mont-Tremblant, Que., Aug. 21 to 27.
Owen, a Grade 6 student at Scott Creek middle school in Coquitlam beginning in September, is coached by his dad, Dale, who introduced him to the game as a family activity along with his mom, Ika Setyawati, when he was five. He played in his first tournament a couple of years later, and while Owen doesn’t remember how he did, he knew he wanted to get better.
Unable to afford private lessons for his son or membership in a private club for guaranteed court access, Dale started reading coaching manuals and mining online resources like videos on YouTube so he could help Owen improve.
“I’m a student of the game,” he said. “We play to get better, not just to win.”
As Owen took a shine to the sport, Dale introduced a fitness component to their regime, encouraging him to keep up with basketball and soccer in addition to the 10 or 12 hours a week they spend at the court as well as swinging at shadows in the garage.
“We play as long as it’s not too wet,” Dale said.
The effort has paid off.
Owen did well enough in four tournaments through the summer to qualify for the U12 provincials at the Vancouver Lawn Tennis and Badminton Club in July where he finished third, earning him a place at nationals. Heading into the tournament, he’ll be ranked 38th in the country.
The nationals will present an extra challenge as well, because they’re being played on a clay surface. That means Owen will have to learn patience because the ball doesn’t move as quickly and he can’t push off from a planted position as easily, said his dad.
Owen said he has no expectations. He just wants to hang out with new people and test himself against new opponents.
Dale said maintaining the fun factor is paramount for his son’s tennis experience.
“He’s having fun, learning sportsmanship and discipline, not just on the court but also in life,” he said.
