The District 11 girls tennis scholar athlete award winner for the 2019 season is Parkland’s Joanna Wu.

Wu was the Trojan’s number one singles player and had a record of 15-2.

She was the gold medalist in the East Penn Conference tournament and earned the silver medal in the District 11 singles tournament.

“I’ve always enjoyed tennis and was never focused on the prize,” said Wu, who started her high school tennis career playing doubles as a freshman.

“I definitely didn’t think it would be as hard as it was [transitioning from doubles to singles], but it’s a lot harder. You’re playing by yourself, and there’s no one to communicate with. It’s very energy-consuming.”

Parkland coach Mike Hingston saw Wu’s constant progression throughout her four years, both technically and tactically.

“Joanna is a fierce competitor and rose to the occasion in tough matches. She played best when it mattered most,” he said. “She was kind of fearless in big matches and never showed her nerves.”

The Trojans won the District 11 team tennis tournament this past season.

“Not only as she went, did we go,” said Hingston, “but she helped other players gain confidence.”

Wu explained that tennis began as a physical sport for her that grew into a more mental one.

“It became about how you place the point and how you view situations, and playing a lot of games when the points were really intense,” she said.

Wu won her first gold medal just this past season in the EPC tournament.

“It was very surreal. I had never received one, and it was a really good feeling,” said Wu. “It was unexpected and satisfying, and that was the gold I’d wanted.”

Wu will continue her academic career at Emory University in Georgia but will continue to treasure her time with Parkland tennis.

“We were always having such a great time. It’s a rare bond and there is support on and off the court,” Wu said. “I like the game because the people I’ve met are amazing, and over the years, I’ve been able to see myself grow a lot, physically and mentally. It made me stronger.”