By Hayden Swope
Dawson O’Donnell of Ark City grew up on a tennis court, so when his time came for him to compete in high school, he was set up for success.
Going undefeated this past season, O’Donnell has a lot to be thankful for.
“I started playing tennis from a very young age,” O’Donnell said. “Since my dad coached the high school teams he got me into it early. I’ve played for as long as I can remember, honestly. I play because I love the game but it’s also the only thing I’ve ever known.”
Because he’s been playing since he could hold a racket, O’Donnell’s goals have shifted, but this year he knew he had to make those achievements count.
“This year my main goal obviously was to try and go back to back and win state in doubles and then hop over and win it again in singles,” O’Donnell said. “I would also say this year I tried to just cherish and have fun every moment I was on the high school court one last time. I really also tried to improve and adjust my game to start playing more true singles instead of being a big hitting doubles guy.”
While playing and winning has been icing on the cake, the best part for O’Donnell is who he’s shared these past years with.
“Most memorable moment was going undefeated and finally getting that state championship with my brother and dad,” O’Donnell said.
