This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
05/18/2022 12:00 AMAs he entered his junior year at North Haven High School, Justin Geremia was contemplating whether he wanted to continue running track or join the boys’ tennis team. Justin chose to play tennis and is now seeing that decision pay dividends in a senior season where he’s competing out of the No. 1 doubles spot for the Nighthawks.
Justin had some tennis experience prior to joining the team for his junior season. When he was nine, Justin started attending the Nils Nation summer clinic hosed by tennis coach Nils LeBlang in Hamden. He was introduced to tennis by his mother Irma.
Every summer, Justin worked hard to improve his game. He also competed in a summer tournament held by Nils Nation each year. Justin advanced past the first round for the first time during the summer following his junior season. However, whether he was winning or losing, Justin’s interest in tennis had piqued, and he was enjoying himself on the court.
“Ever since I started playing, I loved the sport. I thought it was really fun,” says Justin. “It was new. It was different for me,” says Justin. “I tried almost every other sport. I wasn’t great. Tennis is the main sport for me.”
Even with all those years at Nils Nation, Justin was still unsure about what sport to play when he reached high school. He had competed in track and field during his time at North Haven Middle School. Justin enjoyed his experience with the program and decided that track was going to be his sport in high school.
However, Justin quickly learned how big of a difference it was between running at the middle school and high school levels. He didn’t like it as much as he did in middle school and was looking for a new opportunity. Justin planned to join the North Haven boys’ tennis team as a sophomore, but the season was canceled.
Finally, as a junior, Justin got his opportunity to play tennis for the Nighthawks. Justin was worried about whether he would connect with his new teammates. However, once he got back on the court, all of those worries were vanquished as Justin was once again playing his favorite sport.
“With the tennis team, we clicked,” Justin says. “I realized how much I liked this sport. I knew I wanted to work at tennis instead of track.”
Justin started off his junior season as North Haven’s No. 4 singles player, but suffered an arm injury halfway through the year. Upon his return to action, Justin was playing No. 3 doubles for the Nighthawks.
Justin liked the move to the doubles lineup and felt that having a partner took some of the pressure off of him. At the end of the year, Justin and then-sophomore Jess Hansard won North Haven’s Most Improved Player Award for their performances at No. 3 doubles.
This year, Justin was elevated to the No. 1 doubles spot as a senior. Justin has competed alongside several partners, most recently sophomore Nathan Oh.
By playing No. 1 doubles, Justin is facing some of the best tandems in the state every time he steps between the baselines. Still, regardless who is on the other side of the net, Justin enters every match with a positive mindset and the knowledge that he and his partner are ready for competition.
“I go into every match with a positive attitude, no matter who it is. If it’s Daniel Hand, they have one of the best doubles teams in the state—I’m going in with a positive attitude,” says Justin. “If I’m losing, there’s still a smile on my face.”
Head Coach John Higgins has taken note of Justin’s improvement as a doubles player. Higgins says that the senior has improved all aspects of his game and is helping the Nighthawks make a playoff push this year.
“Justin has been a mainstay at No. 1 doubles all year. He has improved all areas of his game and has developed his forehand into a weapon,” Higgins says. “Justin and his partner Nathan Oh had two victories this past week, which is helping our team’s push to qualify for the State Tournament.”
After graduation, Justin will attend Gateway Community College, where he will pursue a degree in creative writing. He plans on still playing tennis.
When he joined the North Haven’s boys’ tennis team, Justin was looking to play in a program that felt like a family. As a member of the Nighthawks, Justin feels like he has achieved that goal “100 percent.”
Heading into his senior year, Justin knew that he would be in for tough battles all season. However, with his teammates, coaches, and the entire North Haven tennis community behind him, Justin feels confident that he can ace his way through any test.
“It took a lot of work. I worked really hard over the summer—on my serve, my forehand,” says Justin. “I knew coming in we were going to have some tough matchups this season. I knew it was going to be a lot of pressure, but I knew I was going to overcome that pressure.”