The O'Briens - A Capital District Tennis Family - Part 1
I will be writing a 3 part article on this outstanding local tennis family. The first two articles will focus on the boys.
For the O’Brien’s, tennis is also about family. “My Favorite tournament was the NYSPHSAA Championships my senior year of high school (2018). I won the back draw, but what made it the best was that my brothers Aidan and William also won the back draw in doubles. It felt great to share their success and end high school tennis on such a good note.” (Conners). “Whenever possible, we try to attend each other’s matches or watch live streams of the matches.” (Aidan). It’s hard for Owen to get to the away matches, but he is still a fan. “I usually only get the chance to watch big games like the Army-Navy games, which are always very entertaining. The competition and rivalry is so fierce, and it makes those matches my favorites.” Owen does get to see brother Aidan a lot because he plays locally at Union College. “I have watched many of Aidan’s matches throughout the years, which are always so much fun. There is great competition. I am lucky to get an experience in college tennis. “
I have enjoyed seeing Aidan regularly since Union College often practices here at SPORTIME. They also play some of their matches here. Conners, Aidan, and Will keep in touch too. “We talk about how different strategies have worked, and how much our games have developed.” (Aidan).
"Aidan is hard-working, a great teammate that is very well-liked and respected by his peers, and a fantastic student. Working with him daily and seeing how well he performs both on the court and in the classroom - - balancing a challenging course load as a member of Union’s “Leadership in Medicine” program - has been impressive." (Union College Tennis Men’s and Women’s Head Coach Brian Bowman)
Conners is not only a great athlete, but he is also a great student. He received academic honors from the USNA in five semesters, including a semester where he posted a 4.0 GPA. So far, he has been named to the Patriot League Honor Roll AND an Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Scholar-Athlete every year. For the 2019-20 season, Conners led the team in Singles wins with a 19-6 record and posted a 29-10 record overall. His regular-season record at Academy was 68-0, and he was the Times Union Tennis Athlete of the Year (2017 and 2018). Also, Conners did Cross Country, Track, and Swimming at Academy. He was also captain of the debate team and Junior Class President.
"As successful as Conners has been on the court, his achievements in the classroom and military obligations stand out most to me. He showed the rest of the team and me how to challenge yourself daily and never settle while pursuing your passion and goals in life." (Navy Men’s Tennis Head Coach Chris Garner)
It has been great to watch these boys (and the girls) growing up. They are great kids and great representatives of the game.
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