The first Tuesday of each month, we interview someone from Charlotte Latin Athletics with twenty questions to help the CLS community get to know some of our athletes, coaches, and supporters a bit better.

Our featured athlete this month is Andrew Chen, a three-time 1^st Team All-Conference and two-time NCISAA All-State tennis player. Beyond sports, Andrew is committed to community service, says AP Bio was fun, and he has an appreciation for the classics. Read on to get to know a bit more about Andrew.  
 
1. Tell us about your immediate family.  
My sister Annabel is a senior at Chapel Hill. My mom is a breast cancer oncologist. My dad runs a business selling tech to hospitals. They met in college at Rutgers.
 
2. Have you always lived in Charlotte?  
I was born in New Jersey, but we moved to Charlotte when I was in second grade, which is when I came to Latin.
 
3. What have been some of your favorite classes at CLS?
I like sciences. Chemistry with Mrs. Sellner and AP Bio with Dr. Gee were both the right combination of being challenging and informative. I am enjoying AP Latin this year with Dr. J. I find it really cool translating the old Latin text, uncovering the old language and seeing the ancient civilization.
 
4. As a senior weighing your college options, what is driving your decision?
Academics are the driving factor. I want to major in science, maybe on the pre-med track, and also possibly minor in Latin or study the classics. I'm definitely drawn to more urban environments in the northeast.
 
5. If you go the pre-med track, would you say that was inspired by your mom?
My mom is definitely an inspiration. I've grown up seeing her stay up late, working on her notes or on conference calls and giving talks. I have an appreciation for her work and also how she makes time for us as a family. I honestly don't know how she manages and balances both.
 
6. Who have been some influential adults in your life at CLS?
Coach Hall made a big impact on me. She really encouraged me to spread my wings and strive for excellence. I was a freshman on varsity and she made me feel welcome but also pushed me to step up and show everyone what I could do. She was a great coach. I've also enjoyed having Mrs. Butt for English. I had her sophomore year and again this year in an elective. She makes English really fun and interactive and she has pushed me to be a better writer.
 
7. Between academics and athletics, do you have time for any clubs or other extracurriculars?
I actually run a club called Baby Bundles. It's a service club that makes blankets for underprivileged mothers and their newborns. We have regular meetings on campus and we schedule service trips to the warehouse with 10-15 members to unpack pallets, fold clothes, or do anything else they need. We were a spotlight service this year, so we presented to Parents Council and had some integration with Lower and Middle School students.
 
8. Why Baby Bundles? How did you get involved?  
I went to the Baby Bundles warehouse in eighth grade to volunteer and met the warehouse manager. We had a good connection and then in my sophomore year, Eleanor Fisher and I started the club together. We've had help and mentoring from Dr. Roth, and Kate Waner and Allie Haynie will take over running the club next year after Eleanor and I graduate.
 
9. What about your sports journey? Did you try a lot of sports growing up?   
I did some soccer camps, but I mainly played tennis. I started around ten years old. I did the Nike tennis camp here with Tim Wilkison, and I took lessons and started playing in some local tournaments. People that saw me play would suggest we go to higher level ones, so we started traveling more, competing in South Carolina, and Georgia. We went to Alabama, and I competed in a tournament in Florida. I played for Charlotte International, which merged with Olde Providence, so I did the Olde Providence Academy for a while.
 
10. Did you have aspirations to play in college?
There was a possibility of me playing in college at the D-III level, and I talked to a couple of coaches about their programs. Academics are most important to me and I don't plan to pursue tennis as a varsity sport in college, but I'll definitely consider playing club.
 
11. Did you feel pressure to focus on tournaments and club training rather than playing for Latin?   
There was definitely a point where I considered not playing for CLS and focusing on training and tournaments. I think the tipping point was sophomore year, when I felt the need to choose. I had felt the pride of representing Latin as a freshman and really enjoyed being part of a community of guys. That swayed me especially because tennis is usually such an individual sport.
 
12. How is the team dynamic this year?
It's good. We have a lot of seniors and some new guys, so there's a bit of a divide since our senior group has been together since sophomore year and have grown really close. The seniors in past years really mentored us, so now it's our turn to give back. I hope we can create a good community and show the younger players what school tennis is all about.
 
13. Were there any players in particular that inspired you?
Thomas Davis. And him and Emilio (Llerenas Soto) as a pair. They were on the team my freshmen year, playing 1 and 2, and I got to play doubles with them. They were role models in helping me connect with the other guys and befriended me even though I was younger. It made me want to be that guy for someone else.
 
14. Alright, time to finish up with some easy questions. Do you have any pets?
Unfortunately, no. I would like to have one but Mom is against it.
14.5 Dog or cat?
Either. Anything honestly.
 
15. If you could play any other sport really well, what would it be?
I think I'd choose basketball. Being short, I never really played and wasn't good at it. But I like the basketball culture and its similarities to tennis in that there is a lot of individual work you can do to improve, but there's a big dependence on the team aspect. If I was tall, though, I'd be dunking as much as possible.
 
16. What's your favorite sports movie?
The hockey one….Miracle (on Ice).
 
17. Do you have a splurge food?
Chipotle. Everyone knows I'm the number one Chipotle fan.
 
18. On the team bus, who gets the aux?
Chucky (Chanakya Ayinala) always gets the aux. Chucky somehow always has the aux.
 
19.  What's your favorite pre-match pump-up music?
Definitely some Kendrick. And some Imagine Dragons.
 
20. What has been one of your favorite sports moments at Latin?
My sophomore year, we went to Cannon for the quarterfinals in the state tournament. They'd beaten us in the regular season and we were seeded lower than they were, but we played really well. I think I won doubles with Emilio, and then the team won and it was a sweet feeling of victory.