Name: Ethan Vipond 

Sport: Tennis

Grade: 12

Accomplishments: 

Ethan and Paul won the District 6 AA doubles Boys Tennis tournament last week.  In doing so they knocked off last year returning champions from Richland High School and earned a trip to Hershey to compete at the state tournament.  Ethan Vipond was also named Mountain League MVP and Paul Lemaire was named a first-team Mountain League all-star.

Coach Randy Irvin’s Quote:  

“Ethan and Paul lost the 1st set in the District final but they never gave up and came back to win a very tough much.  Ethan and Paul are both great hardworking tennis players and as a team they have a great shot to do very well at states.”

Eagle Eye: How did you first get involved in this sport?

Ethan Vipond: “My family used to go to the courts and hit tennis balls for fun when I was eight.”

EE: What other sports do you play?

EV: “Football and soccer”

EE: Favorite sports team?

EV: Pittsburgh Pirates

EE: Favorite professional athlete?

EV: Carson Wentz

EE: Who is your hero? Why?

EV: “Parker Mitchell, because he’s just a God at everything.”

EE: Favorite band/musician?

EV: Kane Brown

EE: Favorite movie?

EV: Daddy’s Home 2

EE: Favorite food?

EV: Chipotle burrito bowl

EE: What advice would you give younger athletes?

EV: “Always try your best and practice hard.”

EE: What are your future goals?

EV: “To graduate from IUP with a Health, Safety, Environmental Management degree.”

Name: Paul Lemaire

Sport: Tennis

Grade: Bellwood Senior French Exchange Student

Eagle Eye: How did you first get involved in this sport?

Paul Lemaire: “My family is a tennis family, so I began to play at four because I always loved tennis, and I never stopped playing!”

EE: What other sports do you play?

PL: “I do a lot of sports with my friends, and I run two times a week, but tennis is my principal sport all along the year. I also did swimming this winter.”

EE: Favorite sports team?

PL: “I’m a really big soccer fan, so I try to watch all the games I can even if it’s difficult with the jet lag. But my favorite team is PSG. It’s the best team in Paris.”

EE: Favorite professional athlete?a

PL: “I love Juan Martin Del Potro (a tennis player), but Nadal and Federer (also tennis players) are two legends, so I just have to love them.”

EE: Who is your hero? Why?

PL: “My hero is definitely my dog, Gotten, six, because he is always happy and he doesn’t have any problems!”

EE: Favorite band/musician?

PL: “Mabye VALD, a French rapper. I like Drake too.”

EE: Favorite movie?

PL: Inglorious Basterds

EE: Favorite food?

PL: Sushi

EE: What advice would you give younger athletes?

PL: “To do more and more sports. For me, it’s the best way to be happy. It’s a real chance to be able to play the sport we like and to have the possibility to play in good infrastructures. For tennis, it’s a really tough sport, so be patient and work hard to reach the goals you fixed.”

EE: What are your future goals?

PL: “Next year, I’m going to college (Staps) to study the Sciences of Sports. I love to travel across the world, so my purpose is to follow the tennis players all around the world during the season. Maybe write some articles or take pictures… I don’t really know yet.”