The Regis (Mass.) men's tennis program is off to a great start in 2017-18, finishing its fall season at 5-2. Sitting down with Regis Athletics for a question and answer session is senior Chris Harrow, who shares the value of a million dollars, his love of Journey and why Regis was the place for him.
Why did you choose to come to Regis?
It was close to home. I came from a small high school so it seemed pretty close-knit and everyone knew each other when I came to the overnights. The tennis team especially seemed very close-knit too.
So far, what has been your most memorable experience on or off the court at Regis?
I would say the first year going down to Orlando was probably the most memorable experience because I'd never really done anything like that with my tennis team before. It was cool getting to travel with a team and get down to Florida and really play as a team.
When Coach Ciarleglio gives you the day off, what are you doing instead? (Coach Ciarleglio, sitting in his office next door, yelled jokingly "He doesn't get days off!" when this question was asked.)
Either homework, or I do actually try to play when we don't have practice. So either homework or playing tennis, or hanging out with friends.
What do you enjoy most about playing tennis both for Regis and in general?
In general I like it because it's an individual sport and you know who you're better than and who you're worse than, so it's easy to match up. With other team sports, you get there and you don't really know who's better than the other. It's close, but at the end of a tennis match, you know. For Regis, it's all the perks we get of being a student-athlete here. We get to go out to eat, we get nice clothes, nice uniforms, and also, when you come into college already with a team, it's like you come in already with 10 friends that you're really close with, which is great. You always have those people on campus that you know really well.
Which of the three New England Collegiate Conference championships was the sweetest?
Probably last year's, because we played really well in Orlando and we just kind of catapulted that into the NECC. I think a lot of the kids on the team in the second semester last season went undefeated, which was kind of cool to end it with a championship as well.
What's the best advice you've ever been given and by whom?
My dad used to tell me, because I used to play hockey, but it works for most sports, it's not about the size of the dog in the fight, it's about the size of the fight in the dog. I'm a pretty small kid, and even though tennis isn't a contact sport, I'm still one of the smallest kids playing tennis out there. I usually have long points and long matches, so I just keep remembering "you just gotta fight as hard as you can."
What is the last picture you took on your phone?
It was my schedule actually. I took it on (my first day of class) because I didn't know what classes I was going to until that morning.
If you could sit down to dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be and why?
Barack Obama. I know he didn't come from a great background, and I want to know how - there's no secret, I guess, to being that successful - but I want to understand how hard you have to work to get to a point in your life where you kind of made it like that. You came from nothing and became the most powerful man in the world basically.
If you could have a special power, what would it be?
Probably flying. I think flying in planes is fun, so I'd like to see that view more often.
If you could live in a TV show or movie, what would it be?
Wolf of Wall Street.
If you had a million dollars what would you do with it?
Pay off student loans first. Try to buy a house too I guess, I don't know, a million dollars doesn't get you that much anymore.
All abilities aside, if you could play a sport at Regis other than volleyball, which would you choose?
Probably either swimming or some sort of track sport just because, like tennis, you know who's better by the time. You know where you are in the lineup, I like that in sports.
What's your go-to karaoke song?
"Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey.
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