By SCOTT METZ

Collinsville High School senior Brayson Boyd plays tennis with passion as a number one singles player. He takes the sport very seriously. “I am very competitive; I want to get out and practice and compete better so that win or lose I can say I gave it my all.”

Brayson believes the sport is unique, and explained, “Tennis is a game where no matter how far you get behind you can always come back.

A favorite memory for Carson in his tennis career occurred last year. Carson stated, “My favorite memory thus far was during my junior year going 16-1 and winning the conference.”

In terms of who has impacted Brayson the most, he looks toward a coach. Brayson stated, “My old tennis coach Nicole Baughman has had the biggest impact on me. When I first started tennis, I knew nothing about it. I could barely hit the ball and did not think I could go very far. She pushed all of us but especially me constantly, trying to find some way to help me improve. Without her help, I would not be where I am today. She is the very definition of never stopping or giving up.”

Brayson is proud to represent Collinsville in every match. “With tennis you spend a lot of time off the court during tournaments, allowing other schools a chance to get to know what people from Collinsville are like.

For other activities that Brayson is involved with, he explained, “I am a member of the National Honor Society, and recently received my Eagle Scout.”

After graduating from Collinsville High School, Brayson plans on pursuing higher education. Brayson stated, “I am going to the University of Arkansas next year where I’m getting my undergrad in accounting then plan to go into international or tax law. While there I plan to join the club tennis team which will allow me to continue to play after high school.”