Maria José Gonzalez has been a tennis fan since she was 10 years old. Her family has a long background of tennis lovers and players; one thing she adopted from them and is reflected in the way she handles the racket on the court.

“I love tennis, it’s been a part of me since a long time ago and I see it as a way of forgetting everything and relaxing just for a few hours,” Gonzalez said.

Tennis coach Philip Franklin praises her true commitment not only for the team but also for the sport.

“She doesn’t see it as a game but also a challenge for herself. She is one of those people you don’t need to ask how they feel about the sport, you just notice,” Franklin said.

The tennis season for Tomball High School started on July of this year and finished just a couple of weeks ago, but not quite as expected.

“All of the tournaments we had were won, but not the district one against Phugerville Connally,” Gonzalez said. “The game was lost 10-4 and caused the season to come to an end.”

Frustration and anger crossed Gonzalez’s mind as she saw how the score board was playing for the opposite team, but now she’s mostly focused on getting better and improving for the spring season.

“Obviously, we all feel disappointed when we lose but overall considering all the holes we had to fill in, I think we did pretty well,” Philip Franklin said. “We are still trying to get better and work in all of our mistakes, but as soon as this season ended, we started focusing in improving for the one coming next spring.”

However, Gonzales knows to never give up and that as the season ends it doesn’t mean that one has to stop trying but to work even harder to improve.

“The team wouldn’t be the same without her; she has left a mark in each one of us but especially in the court,” Franklin said.

The impact she had wasn’t only in her team but also in every game and opponent she had. Her dedication towards the sport she loves and hard work helps her succeed both on the field and off.

“The main thing I want people to notice when I’m playing is not how squared I am with the rules or playing the game, but with the passion I do it and reflect the all the effort I make,” Gonzalez said.