The Herald Bulletin

December 20, 2011

THB Boys Tennis Player of the Year: Graham McMullen

By Michael D. Doyle
For The Herald Bulletin
PENDLETON, Ind. — Pendleton Heights’ Graham McMullen is hardly a stranger to individual success on the tennis court.

After all, he has posted a blistering 57-9 career record, with an 18-2 campaign this season and has been named the Herald Bulletin’s Boys Tennis Player of the Year for a second consecutive year.

But, for McMullen, those accolades take a back seat to what the Arabians were able to accomplish in 2011. As the team’s top singles player and most visible star, McMullen took on something of a leadership role this season and was happy to be part of a tight-knit group.

“We had a great team this year,” McMullen said. “There was no individual that came before the team. There have been times in the past it wasn’t that way, but this year we were all in it together.”

While McMullen’s trademark modesty is admirable, it is undeniable that whatever successes Pendleton had as a team were in large part thanks to McMullen’s play and willingness to go the extra mile.

“Everything he gets he deserves,” Arabians coach Royce Hammel said. “He works so hard. He puts his mind to something and just does it. It makes him a great role model for the other players.”

Although his team was eliminated by Anderson in the sectional round, McMullen went on to win the individual sectional and advanced to the regional tournament in Kokomo. However, he lost a hard-fought match (6-4, 6-4) to eventual state finalist Kybren Foster of Benton Central.

“It was really the highlight of my year to win the sectional,” McMullen said. “Although I would have liked our team to go a little further. You have to give a lot of credit to Anderson, they have a great team.”

Coming from his top player, that kind of sentiment is not at all unusual, Hammel said.

“Graham is very much a team person, even in a sport that kind of focuses on the individual,” he said. “He’s always sharing what he knows to help out his teammates. He obviously has personal goals but for him, the team goal is just as important.”

McMullen said he was especially proud of the Arabians’ team concept this year, which included eating dinner at each other’s houses nearly every night and placing an emphasis on friendship.

“We were together just about every single day,” he said. “That really translated to success because when you really care about each other you’ll do whatever it takes to help. This is the best it’s been since I’ve been here.”

On the personal front, McMullen hopes to continue his tennis career at the collegiate level. He is interested in three colleges in South Carolina — Wofford, The Citadel and the College of Charleston. It’s no coincidence that South Carolina is where his uncle Troy McMullen, a tennis pro and major influence, resides.

“I spend most of the summers down there training, and I just like it there,” he said.

These days, training includes agility classes, which McMullen believes will help him maximize his potential.

“I’m learning a lot about agility and balance, which are very important in tennis,” he said. “Everyone’s body is different and learning about your own body and how it responds really helps a lot.”

In addition to Hammel and his uncle, McMullen cites his parents and personal coach Dennis Poe as having a “major impact” on both his personal and the team’s successes.

“My coaches and my parents have both put in enormous amounts of time,” he said. “I have to thank everyone and God for giving me the ability to play as well as I can.”