Paulsen a man for two schools
Manzano standout No. 1 Metro seed
Dane Paulsen is an East Mountain student and a Manzano athlete.
The confusion about his loyalties can be cleared up easily enough, but whatever colors he chooses to defend, he does so as arguably the best Class 6A boys tennis player in New Mexico.
“I don’t think he knew anything except, ‘Just do it,’ ” said Christine Paulsen, Dane’s mother and herself a former professional tennis player in Europe. “Do things the regular person wouldn’t do.”
The scrawny — he only carries about 150 pounds on his 6-foot frame — but sneaky powerful Paulsen is the No. 1 seed at next week’s Albuquerque Metro Championships.
He is 8-0 this season, having been stretched to three sets only once, by the metro’s No. 2 seed, La Cueva senior Eli Echt-Wilson who has watched Paulsen’s progression over the last four seasons, both in high school and in club tennis.
“He’s really gotten a lot better at attacking,” said EchtWilson. “He hits the ball pretty flat, pretty hard, and if you give him a short ball, he takes it and he wins the point with it.”
Given who his parents are — his father Mark was the longtime strength coach at the University of New Mexico — it was almost predetermined that Dane, once he chose tennis, would succeed.
“I really liked how tennis was individual,” Dane said. “I was out there on my own. I do like team things, but I’m really competitive. When I really want to win, I like that it’s all
on me. I can’t be let down by other people.”
As East Mountain isn’t large enough to have a tennis program, Paulsen climbs into his car after school for the approximate 30-minute trek to Manzano, where he has been the Monarchs’ No. 1 singles player since he first arrived as a freshman.
He took up the sport at age 10, obviously influenced by his mother. He is well spoken and humble, but understands his place in the pecking order.
“I knew this would be my year,” Paulsen said. “I didn’t see anyone that could beat me. But I know there are a lot of good competitors out there. Anything can happen. I realize that when you’re No. 1, everyone will be out to get you.”
That Paulsen is so confident and effective off both wings is not lost on those who are trying to penetrate his defenses.
“I feel a ton more pressure from him rallying with him from the baseline,” Echt-Wilson said.
Dane has weapons from there, but his repertoire is not limited to groundstrokes. Throw in a vastly-improved serve, and his own excellent return of serve, and you have an undefeated high schooler who also is rated No. 10 by the USTA in the under-18 division in this region that includes Arizona, New Mexico and El Paso.
“With Mark … Dane kind of got a pretty good start at what it takes to not be average,” Christine Paulsen said.
Paulsen finished third at state last season. He will be attending Division III Wheaton College in Illinois to play tennis.
He trains at Lobo Club virtually every day, four hours a day, and he has a full summer schedule ahead, including a USTA national tournament in Michigan and a Davis Cupstyle event in Illinois. “I love tennis,” Paulsen said. The metro tournament begins Monday. The top seeds have first-round byes, but will have to win five matches in five days to win the tournament.
‘The singles and doubles finals are Saturday at Albuquerque Academy.
Paulsen expects to be in the final, and again in the 6A state final in about three weeks.
But who exactly does he feel he represents? East Mountain or Manzano?
“I’d probably say a combination,” he said. Then, “I would say a little more East Mountain.”
In the meantime, Paulsen has at least one person rooting for him outside his team and family.
“I’d like to get another shot at him,” Echt-Wilson said.
NOTE: The girls’ singles will be at Albuquerque Academy all week. The boys spend the first three rounds at the Jerry Cline Complex, then hold the quarterfinals, semifinals and final at Academy.