Athlete Spotlight: James Wood tennis player Scott Shepherd

James Wood High School 17-year-old senior

Sport: Tennis. Positions: No. 3 singles and No. 2 doubles

Parents: Matthew and Nicole Shepherd

Hometown: Winchester

What do you love about tennis?: Being on a team with other people, being able to cheer them on.

Most memorable moment in tennis: Just getting better as the years go on. I now coach tennis at [Frederick County] Parks & Rec and I was once in those classes. I work with a lot of different people, different ages and races, from 3 years old to 63 years old.

Most embarrassing moment in tennis: Probably when my team is very weird and I’m around them. We like to be loud when we should not be loud [during matches].

Most difficult moment in tennis: Just as the years go on, there’s more responsibilities put on myself as I go up in the numbers [in the lineup ladder]. I was first at [No.] 6 [in singles] and I’ve gone all the way up to [No.] 1 before.

Three people you can have dinner with, dead or alive: [Inventor and engineer] Nikola Tesla. He was one of the most intelligent people of all time. Taylor Fritz; he’s the No. 1 American male player right now for tennis. He seems like he’s got a good personality. I just like watching him on and off the court. And [actor] Robin Williams; he was just supposedly one of the nicest people in the world. I think it would be really nice to just talk to him.

Biggest athletic influence: [Former Millbrook tennis player] Christian Hellwig. He was one of my first coaches [with Parks & Rec]. He was my assistant coach for one year of high school [junior year] and he also shares a lot of interests with me. I look up to him a lot.

Favorite teacher: [James Wood’s] Mr. [Jimmy] Stewart. I had him my junior year for econ and finance. He made it fun, which is hard to do.

Favorite athlete: [Tennis player] Ben Shelton

Favorite team: Boston Celtics

Favorite movie: “How to Train Your Dragon 2”

Favorite TV show: “Black Clover”

Favorite song: “GOATED” by Armani White

Favorite food: Twizzlers

Worst thing you’ve drank: Almond milk

Plans after high school: I’ve committed to JMU. I’m looking at singing there, maybe doing tennis, and I’m a exploratory major. I don’t have a major yet, but I’ll most likely have it very soon. Right now, I like studying science. [Studying] humans, really, whether it be anatomy, psychology.

— Compiled by Robert Niedzwiecki