Athlete of the week: Maya Hart

AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) - Maya Hart is the two-time defending Western Mass tennis champion. The junior star is doing something you rarely see in high school sports and Hart is the 22News athlete of the week.

Hart is the best girls tennis player in Western Mass. The Hurricanes junior is also very unselfish. In this individual sport, Hart thinks about her team first.   She doesn't play every match, so other players can get a chance to get on the court.

"I think everyone appreciates it and I think we all want to win too", says Hart.  She continues, "I think we're going a good job at getting everyone to play at  without necessarily sacrificing wins and losses."

The two-time defending Western Mass champion may get her best competition in practice when she hits with Amherst freshman Nicole McCann.

"We've been playing with each other the past couple years before she was in high school so it's nice to know someone well and someone who has the same ability as you", says Hart.

That ability is top notch. The USTA ranks Hart 9th in New England for girls 18 and under. Hart started playing when she was young.  It was something her and her father did together.

"My day picked it up around the same time that I did", says Hart.  She adds, "We started playing together and we both got into it at the same time and really enjoyed."

Hart would enjoy another Western Mass title, but if she had her wish, her team would also bring home the state title.

"I think as a team we have a good chance of getting past Western Mass and maybe even taking the state championship", says Hart.

This summer will be big for Hart as far as recruiting. She hopes to play at a Division one school in college.