Boys Tennis Player of the Year: Jon Spicer enjoyed smashing success in first year as St. Charles North’s No. 1

ST. CHARLES – Jon Spicer’s affinity for tennis began, as he remembers, the moment he grabbed a racket.

“[My parents] bought a SpongeBob-branded racket when I was 2 years old,” said Spicer, now a senior at St. Charles North. “Just bouncing the ball to me and I’d just swing at it. I just loved the sport.”

What began as a fun game between a little boy and his parents quickly blossomed into a passion.

“I would always ask if today was a tennis day when I was super little,” Spicer said. “I just love it.”

Spicer now harnesses that passion into glowing results on the court.

Spicer was elevated to the North Stars’ No. 1 singles spot this season. He smashed his way to a sectional title and became an All-State selection. Finishing with a 24-8 record and reaching the fourth round of the state consolation bracket, Spicer is the 2023 Kane County Chronicle Boys Tennis Player of the Year.

The 6-foot-6 Spicer was the North Stars’ No. 2 singles competitor the previous two seasons behind Mattas Ciablis before earning the top spot.

“I knew that my opponents would be tougher and they’d be better,” Spicer said. “I’d have a lot more of a weight on my shoulders in terms of what I had to deliver for my team and how much they count on me.”

“I’ve known Jon since he was in middle school and he’s really developed into a mature tennis player,” St. Charles North coach Sean Masoncup said. “He usually outthinks everyone on the court, which is a testament to him. … He’s really learned to work his game into an All-State caliber type tennis player.”

Spicer found his groove when DuKane Conference play opened and didn’t look back.

“I thought he improved dramatically this year in terms of how he prepared for matches and how he was able to finish matches. And win close matches,” Masoncup said. “I think [that] is really the difference in Jonathan that I’ve seen in the last two years. He [was] winning close matches this year.”

Refining and choosing his shot selection more effectively is another aspect that Spicer showed growth.

“I’m very technical with my shots. The second I get a serve, I’ll try and put an angle to it. I’ll never usually hit it up the middle,” Spicer said. “One of my coaches told me, ‘If you get an angle, give an angle’. I just think about placing the ball in a way that will not use a ton of an energy from me that would take energy from [an opponent].”

“He is phenomenal – probably the best I’ve ever coached – at waiting until someone gives him a mistake,” Masoncup said. “He is phenomenal at capitalizing on people’s mistakes when they leave balls in places where he can attack. He has really learned to grind matches out, stick out and be mentally tough.”

Kane County Chronicle All-Area tennis team

Singles: Umar Bajwa (St. Francis); Tyler Masoncup (Geneva); Tiernan Price (St. Charles East); Jon Spicer (St. Charles North).

Doubles: Erik Warner and TJ Stras (Batavia); Sam Evans and Quincy Moss (St. Charles East); Kam Weddle and Kole Weddle (St. Charles North); Jackson March and Brady Barnes (St. Charles North); Alex Sternowski and Teige Donehoo (St. Charles East).