Hit or Miss: Jen Blanco

I usually know what to expect when I sit down to interview Sarasota’s young rising stars. 

Their stories typically all start out the same way. 

They began playing their respective sport about as quickly as they learned how to walk, and they haven’t looked back since, filling their days with multiple training sessions and private lessons in hopes of achieving the pinnacle of success. 

And then I met Sarasota resident Nikki Yanez 22 months ago. 

Nikki was 10 years old at the time, and had just won her first U.S. Tennis Association Florida regional 12-and-under tournament — two years after picking up a tennis racket for the first time. 

Until that point, Nikki had been a competitive gymnast, having won a pair of AAU Gymnastics state championships and a Southeast regional championship along the way. 

Nikki had been in the spotlight before, but never for tennis. So to say she was a bit nervous would be an understatement. 

She gradually warmed up, and I realized that Nikki — who at the time rarely practiced on an actual tennis court — could eventually develop into something special. 

Since then, Nikki has captured countless championships, including the USTA National Championship last August and, most recently, the 2016 Longines Future Tennis Aces championship, held April 16 in Delray Beach. 

Nikki was Florida’s lone entrant in the elite 8-player field. As tournament champion, she will represent the United States in Longines’ 16-player international event, which will be played May 26 through May 29 during the French Open. 

“I can’t wait to play on the red clay in France, the same surface the pros play on at the French Open at Roland-Garros,” Nikki said. “I look forward to representing the United States against the best in the world! It's going to be a dream come true!”

The trip will mark Nikki’s first time traveling outside the U.S., and she’s already got a lengthy list of places she wants to visit, including museums and other famous landmarks — most importantly, the Eiffel Tower. 

***

Hunter Leeming knew he was going fast. 

He just didn’t know how fast his competitors were going. 

With the men’s singles sculls time trials underway at U.S. Olympic Team Trials April 21, Leeming, a 2011 graduate of Riverview High, made his way down the lake, picking up speed as the race went on. 

With only 10 seconds separating the launch of each boat, the former Sarasota Crew rower knew he needed to be technically sound if he wanted to have a shot of advancing to the next round. 

As it turns out, Leeming put together his best race on the biggest stage of his elite career, finishing in 6 minutes, 57 seconds to place 12th out of 21 rowers. 

“I felt really good throughout the whole race,” Leeming said. “At the end, it was nice to have all of my family and friends cheering me on. I felt like I rowed really well.” 

Leeming was one of 14 rowers who advanced to the heat races the following day. He raced twice but ultimately fell short of advancing to the semifinals. 

***

Cardinal Mooney seniors will soon be tossing their graduation caps into the air and moving on to the next chapter of their lives, and for a handful of Cougars, that includes collegiate athletics. 

On April 14, six student-athletes signed college scholarships. Those moving on to play at the next level include: 

Keri McMahon (Eckerd College, sand volleyball) 

Farrah Nelson (John Carroll University, lacrosse)

Terence Hebda (Eckerd College, baseball)

Julian Rivera (Malone University, football) 

Jake Santiago (John Carroll University, football) 

Christian Maglich (Florida Southern, baseball) 

To see what the student-athletes had to say about their respective colleges, their thoughts on leaving Cardinal Mooney and their plans for the future, visit YourObserver.com.