NORTON SHORES  – It might be a good thing that Kayden Hellmann never got the chance to play high school soccer – at least for the Mona Shores tennis team.

Hellmann played soccer from the time he was small through the eighth grade, and wanted to play both soccer and tennis as a high school freshman. The school’s previous tennis coach was good with the idea, but the soccer coach was hesitant, because he might have missed a lot of practices, so Hellmann stuck to tennis.

This fall, as a senior, Hellmann again gave serious thought to playing both sports. But a painful ankle injury, involving his tendons tearing off pieces of his bone, kept him from trying out for soccer.

“My friends tried to convince me,” said Hellmann about trying out for soccer. “I told the coaches I might try out, but I ended up hurting my ankle and didn’t do it. But the possibility was there.”

His decision to focus on one sport again, while still dealing with the injury, is paying big dividends for Hellmann and the tennis team.

He has a sparkling 9-1 record as the No. 2 singles player on the Sailor roster, after beating Zeeland West’s Landen Mosbauer 6-3, 6-0 on Wednesday. His play has helped Mona Shores get off to a great 7-1-2 start as a team.

If he keeps up his current pace, Hellmann will surpass his accomplishments from last season, when he finished with a 19-7 record. He is a candidate to become a four-time champion at the Greater Muskegon Athletic Association City Tennis Tournament later this month, after winning the title at No. 4 singles as a freshman, and No. 2 singles the past two seasons.

He said he intends to keep playing through the injury this season.

“My ankle isn’t fully healed,” Hellmann said. “I hurt it like four weeks ago and never really took a break. I’m just going to play the season out with a brace, and then I’ll rest it.”

He admits that he’s often let ankle injuries go without allowing them to heal in the past, which may be causing his problem now.

“I’ve done it so many times and not allowed it to heal, that the doctor said it may be creating a callus.”

At a lot of schools, Hellman would certainly be the No. 1 singles players. But Drew Hackney, an extremely gifted sophomore who is currently 10-0, plays in the top spot at Mona Shores.

That gives Mona Shores a very tough lineup, with two high quality players in the first two positions in the lineup.

“With Drew and Kayden at 1 and 2, we know that we can compete with any team, because those two are both fierce competitors,” said Mona Shores tennis coach Traci Hackney. “They’re smart players who do everything they can to set themselves up for success.”

Coach Hackney said Hellmann is an unorthodox player who finds his own ways to take out opponents.

“He’s able to find the weaknesses in other players,” she said. “I’d love to say he’s developed beautiful strokes, but it’s not true. But he’s grown in his experiences and really figured it out.

“He’s a good ball striker overall and has lightning-fast reflexes, while being quick on his feet. He knows how to put a match together by using his toolbox. I’ve seen him frustrate and beat kids who’ve spent a ton of time developing their strokes.”

While he obviously wants to win, Hellmann said his main goal is to have a good time this season.

“I don’t want to put any added stress on myself,” he said. “I’m very competitive, but I want to have more fun than anything, since it’s my last tennis season.”

Hellmann may always wonder how me might have done if he had played varsity soccer, but says he’s thankful for the way things have worked out on the tennis court.

“I’m really glad,” he said. “At times I miss soccer and playing with my friends, but overall, with how good I’ve done in tennis the last two years, I’m glad I stuck with it.”