Name: Callie Ferko

School: Yorkville, senior

Sport: Tennis

Why she was selected: Ferko teamed up with Alana Hogan to win the No. 2 doubles championship at the Southwest Prairie Conference tennis meet.

She was selected the Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her interview with Sports Editor Joshua Welge.

What does it mean to win conference and what was the key to winning?

Ferko: Winning conference in my senior year of high school was nothing less than special. It was truly an amazing feeling to bring home a conference championship to our program. The key to winning the conference tournament was nothing other than attacking each match with a positive mindset. Of course we focused on placement and light touches in the championship despite my partner and my love for slamming the ball at the net but ultimately what got us there was our high energy in each match. We dropped a set to Plainfield Central in our semifinal and it was our grit and want to win the tiebreaker that really propelled us through to the championship.

How long have you and your doubles partner played together and how do you complement each other?

Ferko: My partner, a freshman, Alana Hogan, was truly a blessing of a partner for my senior season. We first got partnered with other people to start the season, but played together in our first conference match to defeat Bolingbrook 6-0, 6-0. We only met at the start of the season, but words can’t explain how much I am going to miss playing tennis with her.

Alana brings a fierce and fiery energy on the court, which ultimately makes us the loudest people at a tennis match. We feed off of each other’s energy and use that to find success through tough matches. She also brings calm during stressful moments.

Alana is beyond well-rounded in tennis. She is aggressive and smart at the net. She is consistent in her ground strokes and places the ball impeccably on the court. We make a pretty scary team at the net and can count on each other to get to balls at the baseline. I can always count on her to have a solid serve-receive, and she can count on me to cut off balls at the net as soon as I see an opportunity. Alana is also a lefty, which gives us the advantage of not having to serve in the sun when the match starts. We both have strong serves and always come back with a solid serve after a double-fault to focus on the next point. We have each other’s backs.

Have you always played doubles tennis?

Ferko: This was my first year playing doubles tennis, and I absolutely loved it. Last year, I played third singles and ultimately learned so much about myself as a person and an athlete. It was the first time I was playing a sport where each point relied on myself. If I lost a point, it was on me. Through singles, I got to learn the rules and fundamentals of tennis. Now, I get to build off my partner and slam overheads at the net. Being a net player is definitely my favorite part of the game.

I know you from softball but how long have you played tennis? What do you like about tennis?

Ferko: This is my second year playing tennis. I joined my junior year to try something new. I needed to shift my focus away from softball for a while as I was taking the sport too seriously. Tennis ultimately allowed me to relax and have fun as I was learning a whole new sport. All my softball coaches were so supportive of me going out for tennis, which made the whole process easier. I found so much success in softball after my first tennis season. Tennis refocused my mindset for all sports.

Outside of tennis, what’s a TV show or movie you could totally binge on?

Ferko: I watch “Only Murderers in the Building” (with Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short) every Tuesday night on Hulu with my mom. We have been binge-watching this series for five seasons now, and it’s the perfect way to turn off my brain after a long day of school and sports. I am also a forever fan of “Grey’s Anatomy” and will watch random episodes in my spare time.

It being almost Halloween, what’s a memorable costume you once went as? And what’s your favorite Halloween candy?

Ferko: One memorable Halloween costume was when I was a zombie scarecrow. I had a red wig and a brown burlap bag textured dress, it was really fun. On Halloween specifically, I love Almond Joys- definitely an unpopular opinion, but I like them, or just a plain Hershey bar.