WPIAL Alum Q&A – Callie Frey

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, September 28, 2015 | 11:32 AM

This week’s edition of WPIAL Alum Q&A highlights Callie Frey, a former championship tennis player for Mount Lebanon High School who is now excelling at the University of Pittsburgh.

While at Mount Lebanon, Frey captured four section titles in singles play, and during both her junior and senior seasons, she won the Class AAA WPIAL Championship. In the process, she became the first tennis play from Mount Lebanon in nearly 30 years to accomplish the feat.

She concluded her impressive high school career with a mark of 119-12, and then moved on to the University of Pittsburgh to continue her academic and athletic pursuits. In her freshman campaign in 2014, Frey played in the No. 1 and No. 2 doubles positions for the Panthers, and also competed in singles play in the No. 3 and No. 4 spots.

In the process, she achieved some notable accomplishments, including scoring nine wins in tournament play, which tied for best on the team.

This season, Frey has made an impact again, including this past weekend, when she finished second in the White singles at the Wildcat Invite at Northwestern University.

Callie was kind enough to answer some questions regarding her tennis career and her experiences thus far in college. She also revealed some of her little known but very interesting talents, as well.

Q: You have been playing both singles and doubles matches. Do you have a preference, and what are the challenges of each?

A: I like playing both singles and doubles. I like doubles especially because I have a teammate playing right next to me that can bring me up if I’m feeling down. Singles is challenging because I have to be my own best friend on the court, meaning I need to control my emotions and push myself through matches when I’m feeling nervous or not doing too great. Doubles is challenging as well because, again, when my partner is down, I need to bring her up.

Q: What is your typical week like during the season?

A: In season, we typically play all of our matches on Fridays and Sundays. We most likely lift two or three times a week at 730 AM, go to morning classes, go to practice from 1-330, go to night classes, and then do it all over again the next day. The days that we don’t have lifting, we do agility before practice. For a Friday away match, we travel the day before on Thursday, practice at their facility, and get ready for the match the next day. It can all get so tiring so I need to rest my body as much as I can.

Q: What led to your decision to continue your tennis and academic careers at Pitt?

A: I knew that I’ve always wanted to play tennis at a college that was close to home. I’m very thankful for the opportunity that Pitt has given me. 

Q: How many racquets do you typically use in one year?

A: Pitt gives my teammates and I six rackets each. If a string breaks on our racket, we get them restrung.

Q: Do you have any superstitions or traditions before, during or after a match?

A: I don’t have any superstitions before a match, but as a team we will ALWAYS do a Pitt chant before we go on the court.

Q: There’s a significant international makeup for your team, with players hailing from Spain, Brazil, England, China and Japan. What has it been like interacting with girls from all across the world?

A: It’s pretty awesome having girls from all over the world because I get to learn about their culture at home and learn new words/phrases in another language.

Q: How have the coaching staff and other players helped you develop your skills since the start of your freshman year?

A: I’ve learned so much already in one year at Pitt. Both of my coaches have really helped me improve my game during practice and during matches. Alex, my coach,
has even helped me become a better and more understanding person.

Q: At what age did you really start playing tennis competitively? Did you play any other sports when you were younger?

A: I started playing tennis when I was seven, so I would say I started my first tournament at the age of eight. I used to model and act before I even became an athlete. Once I finished that, I ice skated, played soccer, and then began playing tennis.

Q: Do you spend much time watching professional tennis? If so, who are your favorite current or all-time players?

A: Whenever I have the chance to watch professional tennis players play at Wimbledon and the US Open, I will. I’m always busy with practice and homework, so when I have the time to watch, I definitely do. My favorite player is Roger Federer because he’s a humble person and amazing, of course.

Q: What’s your favorite TV show currently or all-time?

A: My favorite TV show of all time is Prison Break.

Q: What’s a little-known or surprising fact about you?

A: Like I said before, I used to act when I was younger. I tried out for the movie Signs with Mel Gibson and Abigail Breslin.