Kane County Chronicle Athlete of the Week: Allison Gizewicz, St. Charles North, senior, tennis

Name: Allison Gizewicz

Sport: Tennis

Why she was selected: Gizewicz took first at sectionals in singles and led the North Stars to a sectional title. Gizewicz was chosen in an online vote. Here is her interview with Jake Bartelson.

Bartelson: Could you speak to what the team sectional title means to you and obviously the program?

Gizewicz: I’ve been on varsity all four years and we’ve come up short every single year. Last year, we got second and I got second place, too. I lost in three sets. That would’ve clinched the title. Going into this year, I knew it was going to be close again and I just really wanted to bring it home for my team. It really depended on my match [against Batavia’s Julia Arulandu and it] was the final match to decide who won the sectional.

Bartelson: What was that match like?

Gizewicz: She’s a really good player and I lost to her in regular conference. In the [sectional] semifinal match, I played [St. Charles East’s] Kelsey Jacob and that match took three hours so I was exhausted and then I had a 20-minute break to play a girl I had lost to earlier. It was a lot of emotions and a lot of things going through my mind. But I really, really wanted this, not just for me, but for my team and it’s a good way to close my senior year [a 6-4, 6-4 final].

Bartelson: How difficult is it to play somebody so consistently?

Gizewicz: It was incredibly hard. She finished her match real quick, so she had [time to sit]. It was hard, but I’m glad I pulled through with it.

Bartelson: Three state appearances and all, if you had a chance to talk to freshman year Alli, knowing what you know now, what would you tell her?

Gizewicz: I’d tell her to trust the process. I started tennis late. I started really taking it seriously in the beginning of eighth grade. Freshman year, I played No. 3 doubles. I didn’t play in the sectional. I saw all the older girls and they were such an inspiration to me. Really, just trusting that the training works and trust in my training throughout matches. Freshman year, I was not as confident. That it’ll take time, but it’ll definitely be worth it.