Cam Lance
The Hamilton Southeastern Boys Tennis team just wrapped up its 2025 season. Although the Royals didn’t meet their goal of winning the state championship, there were plenty of upsides. The team finished with a winning record, captured the HCC Conference Championship, and advanced to the IHSAA Semi-State Finals before ultimately falling to the eventual state champions, Carmel High School.
A big part of the team’s success was junior Brady Stump. Brady played as No. 1 singles for the Royals and has been a varsity player since his freshman year. Although he didn’t accomplish everything he wanted this season, he has a big year ahead as he enters his senior season.
Playing No. 1 singles on varsity comes with major responsibility and, at times, pressure. When asked about it, Stump said it “adds an extra pressure because [he] [feels] like [he] need[s] to set the best possible example for the team.” Having that responsibility means there will always be extra eyes watching. Setting a good example is important because not only do his teammates look up to him as the top player, but he’s also a reflection of how the team is perceived from the outside.
Brady understands the weight that comes with playing No. 1 singles. “Playing number one means a lot [to me] because the people who played that spot the past few years, I looked up to,” Stump explained. “Now I feel like I can set an example for future one singles and teammates in general.”
Brady has already set his goals for his final high school season. “My goals for this upcoming season are to win state as a team or get to the final round of the state finals,” Brady said. “I think this is very possible due to us having a very strong team next season.” Brady is confident in what his team can accomplish next year. On a personal level, he hopes to qualify for the individual state tournament after falling short in his junior season. What pushes him to achieve those goals is the desire to play at the next level. “Something that motivates me to improve is I want to play in college,” Brady said. “So every improvement helps.”
Looking ahead, Brady also plans to be a leader. He believes that one of the most important parts of leadership is “creating a connected team that can work together and rely on each other even when a match doesn’t go [our] way.”
The Royals Tennis team has a bright future, and Brady Stump is a big part of it. Stay tuned next season to see how far the Royals can go.