FAIRFIELD, CT – Nolan Paige’s incredible success on the tennis court doesn’t surprise anyone who has seen the junior star in action, but what he does during the winter months just might be a bit of a shock.
While many of New England’s top juniors are honing their skills indoors and playing in tournaments, Paige is tearing up the basketball court with his teammates at Hopkins School in New Haven.
Paige, a high school junior whose list of accomplishments includes fourgold, silver and bronze balls and two sportsmanship awards at USTA national events. Paige also has numerous New England Section titles and New England’s 2010 US Open National Playoffs, helped his basketball team to a deep run in the playoffs.
"I’ve always loved basketball and, to me, it’s a great cross-training tool," said Paige, a Fairfield resident who still finds two or three hours per week to devote to tennis during hoops season. "When I come back from basketball, I’m a little rusty skills-wise, but I’m in such great shape, I feel like I’m able to make huge improvements in my tennis game once I get back it."
Paige wasted little time getting back at his tennis. His basketball season ended on a weekend and he was on the courts at Stamford Indoor Tennis with longtime coach John DeFilippo the following Monday.
When spring arrives, Paige will lead a loaded Hopkins tennis team in pursuit of repeating last season’s historic run that ended with a NEPSAC B championship – the first in school history.
Hopkins’ win was not only historic, but emotional and gratifying for Paige and his teammates, who were able to share the win with coach Bill Ewen, who has been at the helm for more than 40 years.
Ewen, for his part, was recently named USTA New England’s 2010 High School Coach of the Year.
"It was really special to be part of winning the New England championship," Paige said. "Coach Ewen is a great guy and he knows so much about the game. I’ve learned so much from him, and he comes out every day full of energy and has a huge amount of tennis knowledge."
Paige has plenty of natural athletic talent and tennis ability, and credits his development to influential coaches like DeFilippo and Ewen, but his game took shape when he began playing with his very first coach.
"I started playing when I was about 4 years old with my dad," said Paige, whose father, Ed, is the men’s and women's tennis coach at Fairfield University. "My dad loves tennis and I took to it right away, and really enjoyed playing."
Paige already has college programs tussling for his services once his high school and junior careers come to a close.
"I certainly want to play college tennis and, right now, my plan is to take my time and try to find the school that offers the best situation for me academically and in tennis," he said.
When Paige makes his college decision, he’ll join several other New Englanders who have matriculated on to playing high-level collegiate tennis – a fact that Paige doesn’t believe is coincidental.
"The tennis we’re all playing as a group in New England is phenomenal," he said. "There’s so much talent with this group of kids, and we all push each other in every tournament. You can only get stronger as a player when you’re going up against talented guys who know your game inside and out. It’s always a great challenge."
USTA New England Player Development Manager David Zeutas-Broer has seen Paige's rise over the course of his junior career.
"It's gratifying to see Nolan's hard work and fair play ethics resulting in achieving such stellar results at the National level in singles and doubles," Zeutas-Broer said.