Arham Shah was pegged as Swainsboro No. 1 tennis player before he was even a freshman. The 16-year-old hasn't disappointed and has made the program better overall.
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Before he'd ever played his first varsity tennis match as a freshman,
Arham Shah was pegged as his team's No. 1 singles player.
Swainsboro (Ga.) boys tennis coach Livia Daniel saw the potential in her young player.
"He's got a lot of heart," Daniel said. "He loves tennis."
In his first two years on the team, Shah has been a rock. Daniel can pencil Shah's name into the starting lineup and know she's going to get a maximum effort.
Shah, who picked up a racket for the first time in seventh grade, has compiled a 13-7 record in high school.
The 16-year-old sophomore really improved in his second varsity year after taking up private lessons with a coach as a freshman.
"I felt like I've gotten so much better taking these lessons," Shah said.
He worked with his personal coach prior to the season five times a month and is back working twice a month in the offseason.
Daniel, who is has coached Shah for three years, saw all-around better play from Shah during the season.
Shah dreams of playing tennis in college and
eventually becoming a politician.
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"He plays net more," Daniel said. "He's winning more net points than he was at the beginning of the season. I'd say his confidence and his skill at the net's improved a lot."
Daniel appreciates Shah's tenacity on the court.
"He's going to fight until the last point," Daniel said. "Even if he was down love-five, he's going to keep fighting. He's never going to give up, that's one thing I like about him. He keeps on going and if something's not working, he switches his game plan up."
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Shah feels like his game is well rounded. He's quick at getting to shots and is just as good with his backhand as he is with his forehand. One area Shah needs the most work is getting a reliable, fast second serve in play.
Shah had a 9-4 record as a sophomore but wasn't able to advance very far in the postseason. Unfortunately for Shah, the Georgia High School Association only offers public schools the option to compete at state as a team, not as individuals. That left Shah in the dark.
"That's not really fair, because there were a few matches he was the only one to win," Daniel said. "He could have gone to state. He could have competed."
"It's kind of a bummer, in my opinion, because I'm not trying to be like that or anything, but at Swainsboro, our team is not what it used to be and we really have been struggling with tennis players in the last few years," Shah said. "It's kind of hard for me to get recognized for something. I really wish they would bring the individual (state) back."
Shah is always trying to make his teammates better on the court, working with the young singles players outside of practice. When his individual match is completed, Shah will around and root on his teammates, hoping for a team victory.
"He's so competitive," Daniel said. "He loves the game and he wants to get better. He's very team-orientated. He not only wants to win but he cheers for everybody else, too. He wants everybody's game to improve, not just his."
Shah is excited and optimistic that next season the Swainsboro team will do well and hopefully make a push for state. It loses just one senior off this year's squad.
In addition to tennis, Shah also
is on the Swainsboro golf team.
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Shah is also on the Swainsboro golf team. Once tennis wrapped up, Shah grabbed his clubs and started concentrating on the next sport. There's a slight overlap between sports — he missed the first two golf matches of the season.
After competing in middle school, Shah stepped away from golf for one year. He's back this year and is generally teeing off as the No. 2 or 3 varsity golfer.
He carded a season-best 49 in a nine-hole tournament in mid-April, which was good enough for second place. Shah averages a 52 and is striving to drop a few strokes this season.
"I feel like if I focus more on draws, I think on average I'd be able to shoot like a 47, 48," Shah said.
Shah is batting through the busiest time of the year. Along with jockeying two sports in the spring, he still maintains a solid academic base and takes part in activities in and around school.
Shah has a perfect 4.0 grade point average and is being pushed to the limit this semester with two honors courses and one Advanced Placement class.
He's extremely active with Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). This year, Shah is serving as a region president and plans to run for president of the national FBLA chapter next year.
"It really has helped me prepare and shape me for who I am today," Shah said. "I've been able to communicate with my people in network."
In March, Shah and two of his FBLA chapter teammates qualified for nationals by placing second in broadcast journalism at the State Leadership Conference. Nationals will be held in Baltimore this summer.
Shah is also big into 4-H where he's the Southeastern District president this year. He's also a member of his school's student council.
Generally, if Shah is going to be part of an activity, he's going hold some type of leadership role.
"Honestly, I love being that figure face," Shah said. "I just want to be able to help people and I want people to feel special. If I can do that, I'm all for it."
Through BETA Club at school, Shah logs the majority of his volunteer hours. He helps out at a local animal shelter and serves food monthly to local Georgia 4-H volunteer leaders. On a yearly basis, Shah heads down to the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center in Dublin, Ga., to talk to veterans.
"Just given that opportunity to meet them, that just felt really good," Shah said.
Shah's goal is to play tennis in college. He's hoping schools will seen his potential on the court. If he doesn't get recruited for tennis, he's happy to attend college with his older brother at the University of Georgia. Shah is thinking about pursuing a degree in political science with the dream of becoming a politician and a Georgia state Senator.
Shah is an extremely bright kid who uses his intelligence on the tennis court to win matches.
"That's what you want all of them to do while they play, strategize," Daniel said. "That brain that he's got, he is very smart, he's very intelligent. It does translate into his strategy. He's always thinking. Even when he's warming up with his opponent, he's trying to pick apart his game because it's like a chess game sometimes, tennis is."
Know an incredible student-athlete who stands out in sports and in life away from competition? Click here to nominate them for a chance to be featured on MaxPreps.Shah carries a 4,0 GPA and is active in volunteering, taking on leadership roles in whatever he tackles.
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