BY CHRIS CHANCELLOR
cchancellor@auburn-reporter.com
Auburn Riverside’s Bruce Diehl has coached every tennis player who has come through the program since the school opened in 1995.
But even through all of those experiences – and dealing with different personalities – he said this year’s No. 1 singles player, junior Colby Tong, is unique.
“I haven’t met a player who analyzes his opponents more than he does,” Diehl said. “He could write a book on what they do. He breaks it down. He knows about their strokes.”
And his own.
When Diehl calls a timeout to meet Tong on the court, he said his pupil already is aware of the adjustments he needs to make. That perspective – and awareness – has transformed Tong into perhaps the area’s top tennis player.
That again was on display when he played another candidate for that distinction: Auburn’s Bryan Thornquist. After losing earlier in the season against Thornquist, Tong responded with a 6-3, 7-6 win on Oct. 3.
Thornquist and Tong participated in last year’s state tournament, with the former placing seventh in Class 3A. Tong did not place.
“He actually improved more than me last year, so I made sure to work on my game more between the seasons,” Tong said.
Tong, who wears a fitness tracker on his left wrist, said his workout on the court showed through analytics after his last meeting with Thornquist. He said he logged about 10 kilometers during that match.
That preparation extends to the classroom, where Tong maintains a 3.99 grade-point average. His only A-minus came in history last year. This year, Diehl is his history teacher.
“He’s very, very analytical,” Diehl said. “He told me at the beginning of the year, ‘I’m going to work really hard in this class,’ but it’s not like studying for any other class for me.
“That’s the way he goes into the tennis game. We take statistics of his game – and his opponents – and show it to him. He’s the one guy who uses that. I could see him doing something that analyzes data.”
Tong is considering majoring in engineering or business with an eye toward landing a position at Amazon, Boeing or Microsoft.
“I would like to get into engineering because nowadays technology is the future,” he said. “I’m also strong in those subjects.”
His older brother, Adrian, who was the Ravens’ No. 2 singles player last year, is a freshman at Princeton. Tong said he is interested in attending an Ivy League school but is also considering UCLA and Stanford.
“My parents always raised me with good values and taught me what was important,” he said. “Your development as an adolescent really impacts your future as an adult and what you’re going to be doing.”
Diehl said those values are reflected on the tennis court, too. Auburn Riverside finished 14-0 in North Puget Sound League 4A, and Diehl said Tong’s contributions extend far beyond his play.
“He plays with anyone,” said Diehl, adding that Tong is a captain. “He practices with us and does all the drills. He’s out here for the good of us and the rest of the kids. He’ll stay with them after practice and give them a little help. It’s like having an additional coach.”
One who tries to share a similar message with his peers.
“Tennis is almost a parallel analogy to life,” Tong said. “You learn a lot of similar stories – where to protect your points, or make careful decisions. Even with a lot of tough losses you can learn what to do and not to do.”
