When it comes to tennis, Roee Sela brings it all to the court: talent, competitiveness, leadership and a sense of humor. He has captained the team now for two years and coach Ari Finkelstein said the younger players look up to him. These qualities are why Roee was selected as the September 2022 Athlete of the Month for boys tennis.

During the 2022 regular season, Roee went 15-0 and had two tournament wins at No. 1 singles, one against Centaurus and one against Longmont. Coach Ari Finkelstein said Roee has yet to lose a single set.

“Roee’s competitiveness, combined with his sense of humor, helps the team push themselves harder, while still allowing for fun on the court,” Finkelstein said. “Roee never gives up, and he encourages his teammates to do the same. He doesn’t have many losses over the last two years, but even so, he comes away from every match thinking about what he can work on and improve for the next one.”

Finkelstein said that Roee’s leadership style always seeks the best for his team and teammates. For the past two summers, Roee has organized a pre-season tennis camp for returning varsity players. He has also helped lead conditioning and other drills during the season, all aimed at helping the team become more competitive.

A member of MALT and a captain for two years, Finkelstein said that Roee takes tennis seriously and has tried to impart that to his fellow teammates. He has also shown that it’s possible to win in our hyper-competitive 4A region, being the first PRA boys tennis player to make it to state, the coach said.

“Roee has been a pleasure to coach and watch grow as a tennis player, from a raw player with a lot of talent and potential, to a dominant force on the tennis court. He has also worked hard to make the team more competitive, from helping out at practices to leading off-season tennis camps.”

Ari Finkelstein, PRA Boys Tennis Coach