HighFIVE: Philip Pak
The following HighFIVE profile appears in the 2017 Summer issue of Colorado Tennis newspaper.
Philip Pak
It’s always interesting to meet new people succeeding at tennis and adding to their win columns. But it’s truly special to meet a 10-year-old, wise beyond his years, who’s already figured out that winning in life is a much bigger accomplishment than winning tennis matches. Such is the case for young netter, Philip Pak, a good tennis player and an even better young man.
Born into a multi-sport family — parents, Angela and Peter, and siblings, JP and Sara Jane — Philip was introduced to the positive aspects of a family rooted in athleticism, and especially sportsmanship — leading in a match isn’t nearly as important as being a leader to your peers.
USTA Colorado’s Director of Player Development, Cindy MacMaster, emphasizes the impact Philip is making to those around him. “Philip is THE most polite boy on and off the court.” She adds that he’s “respectful, courteous and very coachable.” Those attributes combined with his desire to learn are adding up to on-court successes for Philip who last year won the Denver City Open Boys 10s.
“I like that tennis is a lifelong sport,” Philip says about tennis. He also feels that “tennis is mostly a mind sport.”
Understanding and focusing on the mental side of the game is one reason why Philip is a big supporter of ROGY (Red-Orange-Green-Yellow) tennis, a format where the benefits are immediate and young netters experience rallying and more strategic playing early. This year he is transitioning from the orange ball to the green ball, winning his first 12s tournament at Monaco.
Philip appreciates the style of play and persona of Rafael Nadal. “He’s a great mentor,” Philip said. “He plays with his heart.”
Playing with heart himself, and exhibiting kindness and respect for others is critical to Philip and the Pak family. Learning from his parents to set long term values and have integrity as a person matter more than any trophies.
Looking ahead, Philip and his family aren’t opting for a life packed full of tournaments. He will most likely play a handful of tournaments. For him it’s about the balance between short and long term goals, both on and off the court. It’s about comradery with his peers on Team Colorado and it’s about working hard in school and in sports.
“I just want to keep playing and having fun,” he said.
A complete history of HighFIVE profiles can be found on the USTA Colorado website.
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