Athlete of the Month: Ruby Resch

Deep breath in, deep breath out. With a racket in hand, girls varsity tennis captain and September’s female athlete of the month Ruby Resch (11) steps out onto the tennis court, intent on securing another win. 

Resch’s tennis journey began from a very young age, developing her athletic ability for over a decade.

“I was playing since I was a toddler,” Resch said. “I started because my mom played tennis too. She went to college for it at [University of San Diego], so she got me into it, and she taught me from a young age.”

Resch’s athletic upbringing was not limited to tennis, but she soon found herself choosing tennis over other sports.

“I have done so many sports,” Resch said. “Every sport you can think of, I have probably done: soccer, gymnastics, baseball, basketball, etc. I chose tennis because of the rigorous competition, physical fitness and mental strength it takes to be successful.”

On the school’s girls tennis team, Resch plays line one singles. As a freshman, Resch and her partner won the doubles line one at the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) team Open Championship. 

Girls tennis varsity team head coach Jan Guevara describes Resch as “aggressive” during tournaments, with “very strong offense,” enabling her to win matches. Guevara recently joined the coaching staff and was impressed with Resch’s skills since the start of her junior year.

“She is an outstanding tennis player, she has great talent, she moves very well on the court [and] she has great mental strength,” Guevara said. “She’s very strong in her groundies, her forehand and her backhand stroke. Her serves are piercing and [well targeted].”

Teammate Angie Sun (11) also attests to Resch’s athleticism.

“She’s good at finishing points,” Sun said. “As a lefty, she also has good spin on her serve that is different [from] most other girls.”

Besides physical strengths, Guevara also praises Resch’s mental ability, describing her as an athlete who excels at “[staying] focused and in the moment.”

Resch’s focus has allowed her to succeed in high-pressure situations. Resch’s proudest moment in tennis was during a finals tournament when she was able to block out her opponent’s parents’ comments and stayed dialed into the game.

“[My opponent’s] parents were, like, cheering on the back fence, ‘cheater, cheater, cheater,’” Resch said. “But I was able to push through that, and I beat her. That was a pretty proud moment because it showed how mentally tough I really was.”

During tournaments, Resch feels “overwhelmed,” but also “excited and passionate.” Working to find mental clarity amidst all of these emotions, Resch makes sure to “take deep breaths” before she serves.

“I’ve learned that you have to be super strong and persevere,” Resch said. “If you want to get something done, you have to be able to block out everything and all those distractions and focus on what’s at hand.”

Resch attributes her mental strength to countless tournaments adding up to years of experience.

“I’ve been able to become more mentally strong through every single one of my matches, which has made me a better person,” Resch said.

Despite being a new tennis coach at the school, Guevara sees this in Resch’s character.

“She’s kind and she’s thoughtful,” Guevara said. “She thinks about not only herself, but about the team. And I think she does a very good job as one of the captains on the team.”

Currently, Resch is still deciding whether she would like to play tennis in college, but for her remaining time in high school, she is “hoping to make it far in CIF individuals.”

Reflecting back on what she has learned from tennis, Resch values persistence.

“Even though it’s hard and the pressure can get to you… don’t give up, and you’ll get there.” Resch said. “You’ll get to a point you want to someday.”