Landon Burns/THE RIDER
Sophomore Isabelle Bahr is from Redding, California, and was the first female tennis player to win a section title for her high school, Foothill High School. Bahr won the 61st Annual Umpqua Valley Tennis Championship in 2019. She played club tennis with Team Ascension out of Sun Oaks Tennis and Fitness Club. Bahr has one brother and is pursuing a degree in psychology.
Q: When did you start your sport?
A: “I started in first grade when I was 6 years old.”
Q: Out of all the other sports, what makes yours special?
A: “I would say it’s special because it’s mentally and physically challenging. It’s such a mental game more than a physical game, and I feel like in a lot of sports you can maybe get away with not having the best attitude, but here you’re out on your own. You have to deal with all the pressure and [do] all of it by yourself, and you have to learn how to deal with that.”
Q: What is your most memorable moment in the past few years?
A: “I would say the honor of being made [Western Athletic Conference] Freshman of the Year was probably my most memorable.”
Q: Who is your inspiration in life and athletics ?
A: “In my sport, I would say Rafael Nadal because he is such a hard worker and never ever stops even when it’s hard. … In life, I would say, probably, my parents. I mean, they just always continually show me how to show up every day and be the best version of myself.”
Q: What’s it like where you’re from?
A: “Back home it’s a little bit different than here. I mean, it’s still like a smaller town vibe but, definitely, it’s dry heat, not the humidity. So it’s a little different here.”
Q: What’s your favorite book?
A: “I would say ‘Mindset’ is one of my favorite tennis books.”
–Compiled by Landon Burns
