Annie Wright Sophomore Nina Ye, Inkwell’s February student-athlete of the month, is a dual-sport athlete in both tennis and golf.

Ye, who spent some of her childhood in China, started tennis at the age of 6 and a half. She says that the tennis scene in the U.S. is not drastically different in China except for the court surface; here in the US, she played on hard courts and indoors, but in China, she played on fake grass with sand.

At the age of 8, she began playing golf. When asked to compare golf with tennis, she says that although golf is not as physical as tennis, “it requires much more concentration” and the ability to focus and regain concentration after every shot.

During the summers, Ye spends her time in Florida focusing heavily on tennis. She puts emphasis on the intensity of her training under the Florida sun in which her daily schedule consists of one-and-a-half hours of fitness, two hours of tennis training, another one-and-a-half hours of fitness, and finally two to two-and-a-half hours of practice matches.

Despite being a dual-sport athlete, Ye finds a balance between school and sports. She also manages to keep a positive attitude and outlook for both sports. She mentions that one of the main reasons she plays sports is because of the lessons she learns from them, such as the will and determination to persevere despite losses.

According to Lower School PE teacher and tennis director Nathan Jones, Ye “shows great poise and humility” and “continues to grow and improve with her results and is a great leader.”

This spring season, Ye will be playing on the Annie Wright golf team in hopes of pursuing a state championship for the school.

Inkwell spoke with Ye about her views as a golfer and tennis player:

Inkwell: Do you want to play golf/tennis in college?

Ye: Most definitely. I hope tennis is sort of a great physical advantage I have in college to fill my time and I think it could be a great way to make friends and stay healthy in college.

Inkwell: Who are your favorite golfer and tennis player?

Ye: Roger Federer. Oh and I like Victoria Azarenka a lot. Favorite golfer? I don’t really watch women’s golf, so for men’s, I’d have to say Phil Mickelson. He’s such a nice person; I know he has a good personality because I also met him, and he gave me his golf ball in China.