Sophomore Holden Ching boasts all the characteristics of an elite athlete. He is one of the top newcomers for the men’s tennis team, which is favored to win the Big Sky Conference this season.

As a transfer, Ching has quickly adapted to Sacramento State, where he is enjoying playing tennis and receiving his education. Being an athlete means constantly being active and Ching defines active.

“When I have a day off, I can’t stay in my apartment for five minutes. I love being outside doing things,” Ching said.

In high school he lettered in tennis, football, basketball and track and field. He has aspirations to play professional tennis after college.

While playing for the University of Washington, Ching was not happy with his playing time and missed the sunny weather from his native Hawaii.

He transferred to Sac State, where the weather and opportunity seemed more appealing and now he is succeeding in every aspect.

“He came to stop by one day and was real pleased with what he saw, so he decided to come here to school,” Director of Tennis Bill Campbell said. “He’s a great athlete and he learns fast.”

Ching is playing singles and doubles for the Hornets and has singles wins against Mike Myrhed of University of Oregon and Quac Doan of UC Riverside.

When Ching is not serving up aces and finishing volleys, he studies for his kinesiology degree with an emphasis on exercise science.

It seems he is destined for involvement with tennis as he is constantly active and excels in physical competition while also gaining knowledge in sports science as a student.

“What I really want to do with that is help other people with tennis or sports in general. I had a few people throughout my career who really helped me,” Ching said.

At Washington, Ching watched a lot of tennis and learned things from observing. It was only his first year in which he was 100 percent committed to tennis, so he has likely begun a learning curve that will see him develop drastically as a player.

At 6 feet 2 inches tall, Ching covers a lot of court when he combines his athletic ability with his long stride and reach.

His technical strengths, specifically volleying, make him an excellent doubles player. All of his attributes make him a great addition to the team this year.

Hawaii doesn’t typically seem like a hotbed for breeding athletes, but this misconception can work to a Hawaiian athlete’s advantage in some ways.

“People overlook it for sports,” Ching said. “To be honest, I think it affected me in a good way.”

Ching draws his synergy on the tennis court from doubt. Similar to the concept of conquering adversity, Ching prides himself on proving doubters wrong.

Hawaii may not provide the level of competition the mainland does but Ching has been traveling around the country his entire career.

“I traveled a lot to play in tournaments on the mainland,” Ching said.

If he didn’t grow up in Hawaii, he would probably be different as a player because his fierce competitive streak comes from self-motivation.

“I would be a different person. I would have a different personality on the court, that’s for sure,” Ching said. “I like being that bad guy, it gives me more motivation.”

Motivation isn’t something Ching leaves on the tennis court for he is an excellent student and prefers to stay constructive all the time.

“He’s a very fine student, which is a real plus,” Campbell said.

Sac State is obviously different from the University of Washington in multiple facets, but small class size is something that appeals to most students.

“The school is a little more personal,” Ching said.

The more attention available from instructors, the easier it is to learn. Washington is a large school in a region with a gloomy climate.

Because Ching’s mother was raised in the vicinity, it is appropriate to say he has roots here. Transferring also presented a nostalgic atmosphere, where he had to prove himself at a competitive tennis program.

Away matches are extra special for Ching because the crowd is against him and he’s playing on someone else’s court.

This may seem strange, playing in front of opposing spectators and on a strange and unfamiliar court, but not for a tennis player who is driven.

“To be honest, I was always self-motivated, but at the same time I’ve been supported a lot by my family,” Ching said. “My parents are really a big part of my life.”

Before the current season started, Campbell was in Hawaii where he visited with Ching’s parents.

“Bill definitely supports the team and the program and it’s nice to have the backing from everyone,” Ching said.

Ching has settled in nicely and is working toward a tennis career that will see many victories. In the future, Ching would also like to become a coach for high-level junior players and eventually college players.

Cameron Ross can be reached at [email protected]