November 20th 2024.
At the start of my career at The Denver Post, I was assigned to cover the prep sports beat. As a journalist, it was important for me to remain unbiased and not show any favoritism towards the teams I reported on. However, there were certain individuals who captured my attention and I couldn't help but root for them.
One of those individuals was Remy Nguyen. On a sunny Tuesday, surrounded by over 70 of her closest friends, family, coaches, and community members, Remy signed her national letter of intent to play for the University of Denver's women's tennis team. It was a momentous occasion, with a portrait of Remy and her family from 2011 proudly displayed on the wall as a part of the "Breaking the Barriers" photo exhibit at the Denver Tennis Park. It seemed like destiny for her to end up at DU.
I have a personal connection to Remy as she is my niece, so you can imagine the overwhelming sense of pride I felt in that moment. She has become the first-ever Division I athlete in our family, and it's a huge accomplishment that we are all incredibly proud of.
Remy has been playing tennis for Chaparral High School and has qualified for the Class 5A state tournament at the No. 1 singles position three times. Not only that, but she has also maintained an impressive record of 53 wins and only 9 losses, according to MaxPreps. Her head coach, Dan Padrnos, shared just how dominant she has been on the court, winning 180 out of 193 games played in her first 15 matches. She went on to have a perfect 20-0 record in her senior season, making it all the way to the championship match.
Although she ultimately finished runner-up, Remy's talent and hard work did not go unnoticed. She earned a spot on CHSAA's all-state first team and was also recognized as a three-star recruit and one of the top 10 mountain region players in her class by tennisrecruiting.net. She is the first Colorado player to join the DU program since 2019.
The DU assistant coach, Maureen Kechriotis, spoke highly of Remy's skills, attitude, and coachability. She believes that Remy has everything it takes to be successful at the Division I level, and I couldn't agree more.
As a journalist, one of my favorite events to cover is National Signing Day. It's a celebration of the hard work, dedication, and sacrifices made by both the athletes and their families. Remy's parents, my brother Tod and his wife Vie, have gone above and beyond to support her in her tennis career. They have rearranged their lives countless times to travel with Remy to tournaments all over the country. And this is a common story among families of athletes all over the nation.
During the signing day ceremony, several of Remy's coaches shared their fond memories of her. From her impressive skills on the court to her willingness to help her teammates improve, they all spoke highly of her character and values. It was a testament to the strong support system that has helped shape Remy into the person she is today.
Longtime family friend and Remy's mental coach, Brad Bernthal, summed it up perfectly when he said, "No one goes it alone. To have your coaches here, your parents, family, and friends, we are all so excited for you. But it's also a celebration of each other. People like this don't fall out of the sky. It's a product of a community...Remy, just know that we're all here rooting for you and your success is reflected in all of us. We're excited by what you have done and it gets us excited for where things are going."
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