Spring Stars: Rincon/University tennis star Ethan Lee turns focus inward during coronavirus shutdown

The Star is profiling Southern Arizona high school athletes whose seasons were cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. Each high school was asked to nominate an exceptional spring sport athlete who exemplifies greatness on and off the field, court or track.

The coronavirus pandemic has thrust the country and world into an unprecedented situation. Rincon/University High School tennis player Ethan Lee has turned to history for both solace and entertainment during these strange times.

Lee, a junior, has been spending some of his newfound free time diving into historical documentaries. The one that’s hit closest to home was about Ulysses S. Grant, the former Civil War general and United States president.

“I think he’s the most fascinating guy with everything he had going on in his life,” Lee, 16, said. “He didn’t really want everything he got, but he made the best of everything he had.”

That lesson resonates deeply during these strange times, and Lee said he’s fortunate to keep his tennis game going strong while school and city courts are closed.

Lee won the Division I state singles championship last year after taking the runner-up spot as a freshman. Always one for a challenge, Lee considered pursuing a state championship in doubles before the season was cut short.

“I’m really missing school a lot,” Lee, a University High School student with a passion for the sciences. “While there’s a lot of positives to take away from the current situation, I miss seeing all my friends and having a normal schedule.”

That’s right, Lee said “positives.” For him, the quarantine has provided a chance to improve his tennis game. He has signed on with a new tennis coach and is working out on a friend’s private court in the hopes of taking the next step.

HSAP Ethan — Rincon/University High School’s Ethan Lee, right, took first place in last year’s state singles championship. Lee was hoping to vie for a doubles title this year.
Courtesy of Rincon/University High School Athletics

“I’ve been really, really fortunate. It’s one of the good things I’ll take away from this break,” Lee said. “I have so much more time to train, lift, stay in shape and get in better shape. I’m already starting to see an upturn in my game.”

Lee has been a regular fixture on tennis courts around town since he was 4 years old, when his grandmother introduced him to the game.

“Hours we’d spend on the neighborhood court,” Lee said. “She’d hand-feed me balls and they’d go everywhere.”

These days, the balls go where Lee wants them to. And while some students have struggled to adjust to a new stay-at-home school schedule, Lee has embraced it.

With early morning runs, late night workouts and a new focus on nutrition, Lee said that his current schedule, along with advice from the new coach, has allowed him to improve.

“A lot of people I compete with in high school and around the nation have online school, so this is normal for them,” Lee said. “This situation has shown me how much more time and flexibility I have when managing my own schedule.”

Next year is a big year for Lee, both on and off the tennis court. He’s has a tough class schedule, and he’s already thinking about how to manage that along with tennis. He’s also taking several classes that will allow him to narrow down a focus for his major.

“I’m thinking about a pre-med route, but I’m also interested in business,” Lee said.

Despite Lee’s busy schedule, he still finds time to give back to the community, volunteering with several local organizations, including the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. Last summer, he worked as a camp counselor for underprivileged youth, a job that he’s hoping to repeat this summer.

In the meantime, he’s just looking forward to the day when he can indulge in a few simple pleasures.

“I want to go and see my friends and make sure they’re all doing OK, then I’m probably going to get a burger,” Lee said. “I haven’t had a good burger in like four weeks.”