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WEST VALLEY VIEW NEWS | FEBRUARY 2, 2022
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Ambition drives Estrella Foothills’ Noah Killeen BY SUMMER AGUIRRE
this year, Gable expects to “see him stepping into that leadership role even more so with our team” and “taking the lead, showing the younger ones how things are done, setting the example.” She added that Killeen is a great leader and brings a good energy to the team. He expects a lot from his teammates but sets an example for what he wants. Before matches, the captain gathers his teammates for a “dad talk.” “It’s really nice to be able to have this connection with everybody else,” Killeen said. “And then to be able to have that little huddle and that little talk that I have with them before our matches is really great.” The team behind Killeen matches his success. Last year, the Wolves also finished with an 11-0 record and made it to the quarterfinals of the state championships ranked No. 2. “I want us to win state. I think that we can. There’s another school, Catalina Foothills (High School); they’ve had a stronghold on it for so long,” Killeen said. “If we can break that, that would really be incredible. … I think as long as we work hard and we stay working hard like we did last season, we really have a good chance.” Success is synonymous with Gable, who has been coaching boys tennis at Estrella Foothills since 2018. The mother of four built most of her team from Es-
West Valley View Staff Writer
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f Estrella Foothills High School’s top boys tennis player Noah Killeen could be described in one word, it could be “ambitious.” The No. 1 player on the ladder and team captain, Killeen leads the Wolves into the spring season with big goals for himself and his teammates. They saw great success during the 2021 season, and he is set on exceeding it. “My personal goal is to stay undefeated in my regular season,” Killeen said. “I want to remain Region Player of the Year and then I want to make it a little bit further in state. A state championship — that would be incredible. But I just really want to make it (and) last in state until the championships.” Last season, Killeen went undefeated in regular singles match play (11-0). His sole loss was to the player who went on to win the state tournament. “He had to play some really tough players last year at state,” head coach Devin Gable said. “He had to play the kid who ended up winning (the tournament), the No. 1 seed, and he just really dug in and gave that kid his very, very best effort.” Gable said she fully anticipates her No. 1 to make another run to the state championships in singles and lead the team to the playoffs. Because Killeen is an upperclassman
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Noah Killeen is team captain for Estrella Foothills’ Wolves. (Submitted photo)
trella Mountain Athletics in Goodyear. Killeen, however, is the only current varsity player who was not a product of this program. “He did (come out of nowhere),” Gable said. “It was very exciting when I found out about him when he was in eighth grade, and he came over to my little Future Freshman Night booth and he was interested in tennis and I found out that wow, this kid’s really good, so it was very exciting.” An Air Force child originally from South Carolina, Killeen was introduced to the sport when he was around 7 years old while living in Enid, Oklahoma. He watched his best friends play tennis, one of which managed to persuade him to hop on court. Immediately upon picking up a racket, he loved it and began playing at a small country club. As he moved from state to state with his family, he competed in United States Tennis Association tourna-
ments to build his ranking. He is prioritizing his education. His interest in politics and government have led him to holding a position as State Treasurer for Future Business Leaders of America, founding a nonprofit organization aiming to get people involved in politics and a club for political discussion. He would like to attend an Ivy League school and major in political science. “He’s just an exceptional person, and you don’t meet someone like Noah every day. Just that determination, that motivation to really just meet these really high goals,” Gable said. “You just know he’s going to do everything he wants to because he’s a smart kid. He’s going to go far. We are so lucky to have him here on our team.” Starting late February, the Wolves will compete in their first matches of the season.
