On top of his game: Salomon has become one of area's best

Seton tennis player Michael Salomon heard the doubters. He admits there were a handful of people-"five or six"-- who said he would never be successful, given his 5-foot, 8-inch, 150-pound frame.

So when Salomon virtually cruised through an undefeated season last year en route to Virginia Section of Independent Schools all-state second team honors, the results were a vindication of sorts.

"Last season was a lot of fun because I did a ton of work, but as I was able to keep my focus and stay positive throughout, I was able to show all the people who said I couldn't that I could," Salomon said.

That hard work has transformed him into one of the area's top players, even though he admits he is not even the most gifted player in his family. That honor belongs to his brother, Peter, whom he hits balls with on a regular basis.

"He is phenomenal. He has unbelievable hands and timing," Salomon said. "I have to work much harder to be as good because he is so physically gifted."

The part of his game Salomon said he enjoys most is the mental aspect.

"I like the fact that in tennis, everyone is fairly equal on the court," Salomon said. "It is not always the person with the flashy game who wins, but the person with the best mental approach. It is that part of the game that keeps me going, even though one of the tradeoffs is I don't have the kind of social life that other teenagers have."

Tradeoffs are one thing Salomon appears to have mastered because he keeps his practice regimen (20 hours a week, he estimates, between high school practices, United States Tennis Association junior events, and hitting balls with his brother) and his academics in balance. Salomon carries a 4.0 grade point average.

"It's a matter of time management," Salomon said. "I am pretty strong in that area. I pay attention well, so if I get an assignment in class, I can knock it out and then I don't have as much homework. It is a tough thing to do, but I manage it."

Since taking up the game at the age of 6 after hitting balls with another brother, Ben, who was playing tennis at the Naval Academy at the time, Salomon has continued to work hard and improve.

At one point, his game reached such a level that he was approached by a coach he did not name who offered him the opportunity to go to Brazil for training. But there was a catch.

"I had to drop out of school to do it. He said I could be world class, but I knew there were no guarantees, that a pro career was unlikely. I thank my parents for helping me decide to get my education and stay here. Of course I would have liked to play professionally, but I think it made me a better person in the end. My faith had a lot to do with it," Salomon said.

Salomon, who also earned all-Delaney Athletic Conference honors in basketball this past season, said he hopes to walk-on at Mt. Saint Mary's and play basketball and tennis next fall. For now, Salomon has set his sights on winning matches and perhaps leading the Conquistadors to a state title for the first time.