By Avonlea Cummings
Hometown Weekly Sports Reporter
Get to know Medfield’s varsity tennis senior captain Mary Palladino! She sat down and answered Hometown Weekly’s series of Hometown 10 questions.
Who is your inspiration that got you into tennis?
My inspiration that got me into tennis was my aunt, Margaret. Throughout my childhood, tennis matches would always be played in the background on the TV during family events, because my aunt would never want to miss a match. Once I got old enough, my aunt would take me to play tennis with her, and I instantly fell in love with it, and signed up for tennis camps over the summer, and then began to play at the Kingsbury Club in Medfield. We still play together during the summer, and it is a great way for us to bond. Without my aunt, I never would have even thought to take up tennis, and I am so thankful that she introduced me to it.
What about tennis do you love the most?
The aspect of tennis that I love the most is that I find it stress relieving. Although being in a tight match isn’t stress relieving, I love being outside in the fresh air, and being able to play a sport that I love with my friends. However, I also love the competitiveness of tennis matches. Being in a tight match can be pressure-filled, but I also enjoy playing in these challenging matches.
Besides your home and the court, what’s your favorite spot in town?
My favorite spot in town is Starbucks. I love being able to drive by and grab a strawberry lemonade refresher with my friends, or grab a quick bite to eat. My friends and I always stop in at Starbucks before we go to the beach or are heading somewhere as a group. It is so convenient, and I’m so glad that there is a Starbucks in town.
Give me a good recommendation, could be a book, meal, restaurant, music , tv show etc:
A recommendation that I have is the blackened chicken sandwich at Noon Hill Grill. It is so delicious and I get it whenever I go to Noon Hill Grill!
What advice would you give your past self just starting tennis?
If I could give my past self just starting tennis some advice, I would tell myself to be more confident, and not be afraid to make mistakes. The only way to improve your game is to take chances and take shots that you may not be as comfortable with. I would always take chances in practice, but then feel hesitant during matches. I feel that if I took some more chances and was more confident in myself, like hitting down the line or hitting stronger serves, I could have benefited greatly. I feel that now I have more of this confidence and take more chances, which makes me a better tennis player.
If you could spend a day with a famous athlete, who would you meet, what would you do, and why?
If I could spend a day with a famous athlete, I would spend the day with Caitlin Clark. Caitlin Clark is an inspiration to all women athletes, and is an inspiration to me. If I could meet Caitlin Clark, I would ask her about how she remains so calm and collected in stressful moments, and I would ask her about what her pre-game routine is. I would love to play basketball with Caitlin Clark if I were to meet her, because it would be amazing to see her play while getting the opportunity to talk to her.
Who is the most influential person in your life and why?
My mom is the most influential person in my life. She has made me the person that I am today, and has supported me in everything that I have done throughout my life. The way she handles herself and acts towards others throughout her life is how I want to be when I am older. She inspires me to be the person that I am, and helps me through life’s obstacles. I can always count on her and trust her, and aspire to be like that for the people in my life.
Aside from playing tennis, how do you spend your free time?
Aside from playing tennis, I spend my free time with my family and friends. My friends and I love to hang out at each other’s houses, and just spend time together. We also love going out to eat at different places in the area! Also, I spend a great deal of time doing schoolwork and studying, and I really prioritize getting my work done and trying my best. My life consists of a balance of school and spending time with the people that I care about.
Describe your perfect day:
My perfect day would consist of me sleeping in until 10 am, and then waking up and having an asiago bagel with cream cheese from Blue Moon. The sun would be out, and I would go to the beach with my friends, and spend the day there. We would then drive back to Medfield, and then get ready to go into Boston for dinner. We would get Italian food, and walk around and shop in Boston. Then we would come back and watch a movie!
Can you talk about your time being a part of the Medfield tennis team, and reflect on the season so far?
Being a part of the Medfield girls tennis team has been one of my favorite experiences during high school. Starting out on the team as the only freshman, I experienced the leadership of the captains and the other players on the team, and they made me feel included right from the start. Now as a senior captain of the team, I try to do the same thing and bring everyone together as a team. We all love spending time together, and always support each other during matches. Coach Eby started coaching the team during my freshman year, so we both started out together. She has always been so supportive to me, and has impacted me on and off the court. This season, we have been very successful, even with some tough matches. Coach always says that we win together, and we lose together, and I feel like that aspect is so important to our team. We bond on and off the court, and love being able to play tennis and just spend time together. I’m so thankful to have been a part of this team for four years, and I will really miss it.
