Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week -- Cameron Ball: Ball-istics expert

Barry Faulkner

The growing pains are behind him, he seems to have recovered from

the midseason bout with mononucleosis that sapped his strength most of

the recently completed season and his muscle tone is improving virtually

by the day.

So, while Corona del Mar High junior Cameron Ball acknowledges there

is no way to improve upon the Sea Kings’ 23-0 CIF Southern Section

Division V boys tennis title campaign, the same can not be said of the

radar sightings of his string-breaking serve.

Ball said his serves have never been clocked for speed, but CdM Coach

Tim Mang estimates rockets launched by Ball’s racquet have reached 130

mph.

In a high school scene laden with two-handed baseliners, Ball is

indeed ahead of his time.

“He serves and volleys and he can also move the ball around,” Mang

said. “But when his serve is on, he’s going to play anybody even.”

Playing the wind is, perhaps, a better description for Ball’s singles

opponents, against whom he amassed a 43-4 record this spring. Ball’s

aggressive style can overwhelm foes, including a trio of Brentwood

standouts, whom Ball bulldozed, 6-2, 6-0, 6-1, to help the Sea Kings

secure a 14-4 triumph in the Division V title match May 30 at the

Claremont Club.

“I felt pretty strong that day,” recalled the Daily Pilot Athlete of

the Week, who noted the windy conditions forced him to dial down his

heat-seeking serves. “That was one of my best matches of the year.”

Mang agreed, stating “Cameron was the best player out there against

Brentwood.”

It was another banner year for the 2000 Pacific Coast League singles

champion, who was forced to default in last year’s Southern Section

individual tournament due to joint pain, brought on by a growth spurt.

Now 6-foot-2, 180-pounds, Ball thinks he has about reached his peak

height. Now, with a daily running and exercise regimen that supplements

his typical three hours of work on the court, he is concentrating on

filling out.

“I feel like I’m getting stronger,” said Ball, who picked up his

penchant for power from his father, Syd Ball, a former professional

player from Australia who has coached standouts such as Pat Cash.

“My dad taught me to be aggressive,” Ball said, “It’s more of a weapon

to serve and volley and it’s the best way to put the point away, without

having to exchange a lot of ground strokes. I like to serve and volley,

but I can do pretty well from the back, too.”

Ball did pretty well to come back rapidly from mononucleosis, which

basically left him bedridden for about a week.

“I was very tired and I couldn’t wake up in the morning,” he said.

“The doctor said it could last anywhere from two weeks to two months, so

I was fairly concerned. But I knew, even if I was dying, I was still

going to play.”

Ball slept for the better part of the week, before pronouncing himself

available against arch rival and perennial section power Peninsula.

“Coach didn’t even know I was going to play that day, but I just

showed up, because I wanted to win. I told him to put me in wherever. I

played doubles and we won, but it was a struggle. I finally got back to

100% about a month ago.”

Ball’s recovery process likely affected his postseason, in which he

lost in the PCL singles final to University’s Aaron Yovan, and was

eliminated in the CIF individual tournament before the semifinals.

But Ball, ranked No. 15 among Southern California 18s, has learned not

to dwell on disappointment.

“I don’t let things bug me or sidetrack me from what I’m supposed to

be doing, which is playing every day, having fun and still being a kid,”

he said.

Ball said a good portion of that fun comes from competing with his CdM

teammates and Mang believes his standout’s unselfishness is part of what

makes him a coach’s dream.

“Cameron is a real team player, who plays wherever I put him,” Mang

said. “And he listens very well. If you give him a reminder during a

match, he responds very well.”

Ball has already prompted responses from college recruiters and, at

the moment, his short list of potential destinations includes UC San

Diego, UC Santa Barbara, Pepperdine and USC.

But for now, Ball revels in his passion for the game.

“One of the many things being sick taught me was to take advantage of

every minute I can practice and play,” he said. “I just want to continue

to give it 110%.”

Of course it doesn’t hurt to mix in 130 mph once in awhile, either.