A varsity doubles player for Jenks High School, Elijah Clink started playing tennis when he was 10 years old. Now a junior, Clink is loving being on and court and spending time with his teammates and friends at JHS.

“The thing I love most about my teammates is how supportive they are during tournaments and how much they care about the team,” said Clink.

Like any student-athlete, competing, staying on top of grades and managing time for social activities and studies can be a challenge. For Clink keeping up with the work in the classroom is tough, but he has found a way to make it work and be successful at both athletics and academics.

“My biggest challenge as a high school athlete is trying it make up the work that I miss and trying to teach my self the lessons I didn’t get to be in class for,” said Clink.

But as the academics rage on, so does the work on the court. Clink has continued to improve his game and has his own way of staying focused before a match.

“The thing that I have improved in the most this season would have to be my cooperation with my doubles partner and my serves,” Clink said. “To prepare myself mentally for a competition I will put my headphones in and blast some R&B music in my ears before I get called up for a match.”

Clink said the support he and his teammates receive is tremendous and they are grateful to those who come out to watch.

“The support from my parents and coaches means a lot to me and I wouldn’t be where I am today without it,” Clink said. “Jenks is a great place for student-athletes because they have so many people who are in sports teams so they get it whenever someone has to miss class for a tournament.”  

The junior said he is inspired by his grandmother, on and off the court and he plans to attend college where he will play tennis. Clink said he is most proud of making it to the varsity level and being given the opportunity to compete against some great tennis players.