Athlete of Week: Valeria Montero

Sophomore mechanical engineering major Valeria Montero is a player for the UTRGV Women’s Tennis Team. Montero began her athletic career during the 2019-2020 season. Montero got her first career win with her doubles partner Kristina Mamicova against the University of the Incarnate Word on Feb. 16. 

Q: What is your favorite part of tennis?

A: “I’ve been expanding my love for tennis because I’ve been getting a lot more invested into it. And, I think one of the things that I have recently developed as my favorite thing is probably the intensity that goes into it. [I like] how you have to stay focused for, like, this amount of duration for the whole point and then it just kind of ends and you have to restart.” 

Q: Who has inspired you to continue playing tennis and why?

A: “I would say three people in my life, for sure. My mom and dad, obviously, [because] they have been my biggest supporters since I was a baby. And, for sure my current coach, [coach West Nott.] He has inspired me a lot. 

Q: If you had to sum up your experience with tennis into one word, what would it be and why?

A: “I guess it’s definitely a journey. For me, tennis has been a part of my life since I was, like, very young and it’s been, definitely, a lot of ups and downs. [There have been] moments where I’ve just wanted to quit and moments where I’ve been falling in love with it, like right now. So, that’s why it’s kind of a journey because I just don’t know what to expect, and it just kind of surprises me.” 

Q: What is the best thing that has come out of tennis and why?

A: “A lot of good things have come from tennis, obviously, like in the physical view. But like I mentioned before, my area of development, like my strength, now is in my mindset. I think that it’s an awesome tool that I have developed from tennis because it can be applied, let’s say later on, when I’m not as invested into tennis and just to everyday life, like, work or whatever.” 

Q: If you could play tennis professionally, would you? Why or why not?

A: “Let’s say, I have, you know, an awesome ability later on and I’m developed, then I would say yeah because, you know, you only have one life. If you don’t try it, then you’re never going to see what you [could] do. So, I feel like I would just regret it if I didn’t.” 

Q: What is one of your favorite hobbies besides tennis?

A: “I’m really into, like, creative arts. I like painting and, like, drawing and stuff. I recently just got into, like, photography, and stuff. I got this drone because my coach has one and I’ve been shooting a lot of cool videos.”

—Compiled by Karina Rodriguez