Clay Thompson is 6-foot-5, possesses a powerful serve and forehand and overpowers high school tennis opponents.
So, it comes as no surprise that the Crossroads junior has won a CIF individual championship.
Thompson, who has been a Crossroads student since the first grade. is ranked in the top 20 nationally in the 18 and under division and is preparing for the prestigious National Hardcourts Tournament in Kalamazoo, Michigan in August.
“He has the modern tennis build and he quickly gets in control of points with his power game, said Crossroads tennis coach Paul Gibbs.”He has a huge game.”
Crossroads reached the CIF playoffs in its division led by Thompson and Erich Koenig, but was eliminated in the first round. The singles competition wasn’t restricted to divisions, meaning Thompson prevailed against the best players in Southern California.
Gibbs, who played at Ball State University, moved here from Cleveland two years ago.
“The reason our family moved was to find a better tennis environment for our daughter, Nicole, who is also an outstanding young player,” said Gibbs.
Nicole Gibbs, 16, attends Crossroads but does not play for the team. She trains at the Home Depot Center in Carson and is ranked among the top 500 women players in the world.
In addition to being the tennis coach, Gibbs is an English teacher at Crossroads.
