Charlie Boyd: Athlete of the Week

With his burning passion and intense physical capabilities, senior Charlie Boyd dominates the tennis courts as a four-year member of Varsity A and co-captain of the boys’ tennis team.Boyd first started playing tennis in eighth grade, inspired by his brother’s love of the game. “I first got into tennis the spring before my first year at Exeter. I had just gotten my fifth concussion at that point and my doctor said I wasn’t supposed to be playing contact sports anymore,” Boyd said. “Since my brother is and has been a very good tennis player since he was a kid, naturally it made sense that I would pick up the sport.”Despite what seems to manifest as natural talent on the court, Boyd worked hard to command his presence amongst a group of skilled players. He started off his Exeter tennis career at #4 on Varsity B and steadily worked his way up the ladder. He was the only prep that year to make Varsity A.Not long after winning a spot on the top team, Boyd’s skill was put to test against Choate, a very competitive tennis school. After a split 3-3 in team singles matches, Boyd’s doubles match would determine the outcome of the entire match.“One of the most poignant memories is when we went to Choate and halfway through the match it started raining. We went into the indoor courts that they had which were ridiculously fast and I was nervous because this was my first match with A. But I ended up being one of the two teams that won the last doubles point,” Boyd said.In his tennis game, one of Boyd’s most potent weapons is his physical conditioning, helping him excel in situations like at Choate. Again, he found his brother inspirational and used this to motivate himself to get more fit.“My brother has had a six pack since he was ten and once I came to Exeter, I got angry because I had a gym basically ten feet from me and I wasn’t using it. So I started to use it a little bit and Coach Sweet taught me how to work out correctly, and I started to really like some of the things—the results are obviously cool, but I started to really enjoy lifting itself,” Boyd said.Boyd has seen a tremendous change in his physique, due to the many hours of hard work he put forth in the gym.“I weigh the same amount as I did prep year, but my waist is four inches smaller than it was and my shoulders are significantly broader,” Boyd explained. “So I have changed my body composition and basically stopped being fat.”With the increased strength, Boyd found his style of play changed accordingly. Boyd has noticed that he has been able to incorporate this strength into his game, not only hitting precise shots but powerful ones. Boyd can last much longer on the court with his increased fitness, always feeling fresh even after three or four games.“He really brings a lot of power to the game,” tennis coach Freddie Brussel said. “When he plays, he is playing really powerfully.”Boyd has not only improved physically over the past years, but also his mental game, a huge component in grueling three-set matches. He is now mentally tougher and understands the game of tennis on a more in-depth level.“He has obviously gotten stronger and smarter in his training since he started, but I think also he has just gotten mentally tougher and can think through the game a little bit better,” Andrea Sweet, the strength and conditioning coach, said. “He definitely thinks a lot more about his strength training regiment.”As a co-captain, Boyd also provides great leadership on and off the court. Senior Hannah Fier, a close friend of Boyd, said, “He’s a great leader and he will always make sure everyone on the team is putting in 100%. He gets along well with a lot of the younger kids but isn’t necessarily afraid to intimidate them into trying their best.”Boyd provides both discipline and laughter for his teammates. As a new member of the tennis team, prep Cameron Gruss has already experienced Boyd’s buoyancy.“I think he's really hard working and a great captain,” Gruss said. “He always cheers you on and cracks jokes off court. Even if he's in the middle of his own match, he'll always cheer you on.”Rex Tercek, a current member of the varsity tennis team who has played with Boyd for two years, was at first intimidated by him as a prep. But after approaching him and hanging out, Tercek developed a cherished relationship.“To this day, it’s just always fun hanging out with him,” Tercek said. “You can always crack a good joke. He has such a signature smile and its always just a fun time being with him. I am never bored, always surprised by what he says and by what he has to say. Its just a great time.”One of Tercek’s most treasured memories with Boyd was when the two were paired up as roommates during Interschols last year. Tercek described the time as a bonding experience where he learned Boyd’s true personality.“He is an incredible guy, cares a lot about people, and to be honest that was one of the most fun nights I have ever had,” Tercek explained. “It was just two friends just having a blast, and its hard to experience that with everything else.During the three years he instructed Boyd, former tennis Coach Anthony Greene noticed both Boyd’s ability to work with his teammates and also his improvement. Unfortunately, Boyd suffered a shoulder injury during last year’s season and now has an injured ankle.“Through the years Charlie has always earned the respect of all his teammates, both because of his outstanding work ethic and his integrity,” Greene said. “He made great strides from grade 9 to 10, but since then his progress has been blocked because of his various injuries.”Yet Boyd’s will power allows him to fight through these injuries. Tercek described a situation last year where he saw Boyd’s tenacity overcome an injury.“I remember last year we were playing Dexter and it was down to his match,” Tercek said. “It was three-all and he hurt his ankle so badly. Yet he kept on playing, he stayed strong. He never gave up, played through the pain. He didn’t quite get it, but we were still really proud of him.”Despite all the injuries Boyd has faced, he has always been able to rally the team whether it is on or off the court. Boyd’s leadership will surely prove to be vital in Big Red tennis for the upcoming season.