Lance Horton
EHHS junior Dianna Melnyk’s father initially sparked her interest in tennis when she was six years old. She stopped playing for a few years, but her friend Alexis Lamprea inspired her to pick it back up in her sophomore year. “My friend, [Alexis Lamprea], convinced me to join [my sophomore year], and I kind of just stuck with it. I got the hang of it quickly and enjoyed playing it.” Dianna emphasizes her love for tennis and the girls who are a part of the team.
“I enjoy [tennis] a lot and I love all the girls on the team, and going to practice is my favorite part of the day.” In addition to tennis, Dianna is the captain of the Pom Pom team (a dance and cheer team for the boys’ hockey team) and is a member of the swim team that EHHS is co-op with James Hillhouse High, Sound High School, Co-op High School, and Sacred Heart University (SHA).
Dianna’s job as captain is to assist the coach in making sure everyone is actively participating in games and practice, showing good sportsmanship, and to reassure them to give it their all in practice and games. “[My favorite thing about being captain] is supporting everyone and making them strive to be better.” Dianna mentioned her favorite memories with the team is “The time when it took us eight minutes to order two pizzas, and when Coach D dropped the tennis ball and started running and crouching after the ball with her hands out reaching for it.” Commonly heard by athletes all over the world, Dianna agrees that the most challenging aspect of tennis is keeping a positive mentality at all times, even when they are losing the game.
After high school, Dianna’s main goal is to take a break from sports, attend a 4-year college, and major in Biomedical Engineering.