By Staff Writer Daniel Locke
A young tennis star calls Helena home with pride.
As a result of his exceptional tennis skills, seventh-grader Beck Unnoppet of Prince of Peace Catholic School has earned a berth on the varsity team at John Carroll Catholic. Because of his achievements, he was able to travel to Spain to attend Rafa Nadal’s camp, which helped him improve even more.
Given that tennis has long been a part of Unnoppet’s family, he began playing the game at an early age. Both of his older sisters, Fin and Reese, played tennis in college, as did his father, Nop. In the end, he adapted to the sport rapidly.
According to Beck Unnoppet, I was around five or six when I first picked up a racket because my sister had begun playing. My initial reaction was, “Oh, this is fun, I love this, I’m going to keep doing this.”
Even though Beck tried out for various sports, he quickly realized that his true calling in sports was on the tennis court.
Football is a little difficult since I don’t want to get hurt playing, but any other sport is fine, Beck Unnoppet stated. Tennis was ideal for me because I had sufficient muscle and stamina, but the other sports are OK.
The foundation for Beck’s development was established by the high caliber of instruction he got early in life. He has benefited greatly from the guidance of coaches Jacob McAllister, Joseph Bobba, and Richard Harris.
About Harris, Beck Unnoppet remarked, “He’s amazing.” He is my favorite coach and he is amazing. At first, he comes across as a little cruel. He became kinder as I began to play with him. Despite his tough exterior, he’s a truly kind person. I can work harder because he pushes me harder.
After an outstanding performance at Nadal’s camp in Gulf Shores, Beck received an invitation to compete, something he had not anticipated.
According to Beck Unnoppet, I went to Gulf Shores and learned that you may receive a signed racket by Rafael Nadal along with an invitation to Spain. Oh, I’m going to get this, I thought. I will receive an invitation to travel to Spain. However, I was aware that there were college students there who were much larger and more powerful than I was. Despite my best efforts, I received the invitation.
Being a part of the camp allowed Beck to practice like a pro, concentrating on his game all day long with a wealth of excellent coaches available to him. His game has significantly improved as a result of the experience.
“It was enjoyable,” Beck Unnoppet stated. After getting up and eating breakfast, we would begin our training. They would teach us where to strike the ball and where to make a shot at this place called Build Your Champion. We learned about our toughness and mindset from them as well.
The young tennis player emphasized that the program covered every facet of the sport in some capacity, making the time spent abroad worthwhile.
According to Beck Unnoppet, we worked on everything there. Overheads, volleyballs, and so forth. Every coach was helpful to me.
Beck’s stay in Spain paid off right away since his skills were sharper than they had been before he left.
Beck Unnoppet remarked, “I felt stronger when I returned from Spain.” In order to increase my endurance and see how much stronger I could hit the ball, I made the decision to train out more.
Even though Beck was only in the seventh grade, his time in Spain helped him get a position on John Carroll’s varsity roster. Beck finds it difficult because of the age gap between him and his rivals, yet he can compete well and hold his own.
It’s difficult for me to compete on the high school team as a seventh grader since there are many individuals who are larger, older, and more knowledgeable than me, Beck Unnoppet said. My teammates support me in that. Will Magruder, our top tennis player, is my favorite teammate. He’s excellent and a senior. He has been teaching me how to serve and get the ball over if I’m missing a lot.
However, Beck’s mother, Sonya, is his staunchest ally. Sonya, who traveled from Spain to Helena, is proud of Beck’s accomplishments on the court as well as his demeanor in the classroom during his academic career.
“It has been truly incredible,” Sonya Unnoppet remarked. Beck has always worked diligently. Due to Prince of Peace’s demanding curriculum, he has had to put in a little more effort in the classroom than other students since he was a small child. He has received accolades and awards for excellence over the years.
Many have been amazed by Beck’s drive to excel in tennis. Naturally, Sonya is no exception.
“It’s fantastic that he has personal objectives,” Sonya Unnoppet stated. I simply can’t express how proud I am of him. Yes, I am.
Even though Beck is just in seventh grade, he is already thinking about the future. He has already begun to consider his prospects as a collegiate tennis player and has a list of goals he wants to accomplish during his time in high school.
I am the fourth seed on varsity, but that will all change for me because we will be losing three seniors. According to Beck Unnoppet, I would prefer to have the first or second seed. In order to raise my state-level rating, I also want to concentrate on tournaments.
Beck has demonstrated his ability to achieve great things on the tennis court, even though he still has a good amount of his academic career left. The possibilities are endless for this budding prodigy, who has already mastered a sport that runs in his family, competed at one of the world’s most prestigious academies, and earned a varsity berth as a seventh grader.
