ALTON - Alton High School Xavier Carter has combined strong talent on the tennis court, along with exceptional grades, as he moves to the close of his sophomore year.

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Carter is ranked second in his class and for his tennis skills, he is the Auto Butler Male Athlete of the Month for Alton High School.

“My parents have always been encouraging and helpful for me playing tennis," he said. "I have had many coaches that have helped me become the athlete I am today. My middle school coach, Phil Trapani, has been working with me and my teammates since the beginning. He wants all of us to reach our full potential. My high school coach, Jesse Macias, has also been working with us since middle school.”

Carter has been playing tennis for five years now. He started playing competitively in middle school. His favorite thing about playing tennis is the people involved.

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"I have made many friends through playing tennis, and being around the team is simply fun and enjoyable, on and off the courts," he said. "Everyone pushes one another to become better."

One of Carter's hobbies is to use his 3D printer. He can design and model objects then print them out.

“Playing a sport helps build teamwork and responsibility," he said. "The team counts on all of its members to be there when possible and it makes for a busy schedule.”

He would like to continue playing tennis in college. He has no specific college in mind. He said he is just looking for a college that has a good engineering program.

"I like working with computers and is hoping to learn how to code," Carter said. “I am currently ranked second in my class with the goal of being valedictorian," he said.

"I have been a part of the robotics club since my freshman year. Playing tennis has been an important part of my life and I plan to keep playing. I could not do it without everyone's support.”

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