How a state tournament rain delay led to a top memory for Westwood tennis' Dana Kardonik
All about Dana: bring on the matzo ball soup!
Tell something most people don't know about you.
Russian was my first language.
Why Russian?
My parents were from Russia and moved to Israel, where I was born.
What has been your favorite vacation?
It's when we went to Russia for a month over the summer of 2018. My family and I went to visit my grandparents and cousins, who we rarely see. I really enjoyed seeing how different life and the culture is in this country and I really enjoyed the food.
If you could be any super hero, who would you be?
I would be Iron Man. He's my favorite superhero and even though he might not have any powers himself, I'd argue that his brain is his power. He is a multi-billionaire who is extremely smart and can come up with the best gadgets and suits to help the world.
If you won $1 million, what is the first thing you would buy?
I would buy a rural home in Italy. I love the countryside of Italy and would buy a nice house there to spend my summers and learn some Italian.
What is your favorite meal?
My favorite meal is matzo ball soup. My mom makes it and it is just the best soup ever. She perfectly salts it and it's not even unhealthy. During Passover, we can't eat any of the food that we normally eat, but eating matzo ball soup makes this holiday worth celebrating.
Making memories with Westwood tennis
What has been you favorite memory of Westwood tennis?
It was a rain delay during the state finals of 2023, and the girls team ordered markers and posters to make some spirit posters for the match ahead of us. Making these posters during a storm before a big match like this one felt surreal and nostalgic.
More: Vandegrift girls rule state tennis in Class 6A
Do you have any pre-match rituals?
I will always do my hair in a certain way depending on how my practice was. If I wore my hair in a bun with a hat during practice and I played well, I would keep the hair style. If not, then I'll put my hair into a high ponytail with a braid. I'm not sure why I do this.
What do you plan to do after you graduate?
After graduation I plan on attending college. I'm still not sure which one, but I am deciding between A&M and Washington. I hope to enjoy my summer after graduation by traveling with friends and family and spending as much time as I can outside exploring different areas of the world and even treasuring my time in Austin.
What makes Westwood tennis so good every year?
It's the culture that our coach (Travis Dalrymple) has created. We are a group of hard-working athletes who want to excel in this sport and many players are looking to play in college. Coach Dalrymple has molded this team into not just a team of high-level players but into a team that can work together and push each other to become better as players but more importantly, as people.
Dream dinner: the princess and the King
If you could have dinner with any four people in the history of the world, who would you pick?
I'd pick Mozart, Princess Diana, Elvis Presley and (Swedish DJ and music producer) Avicii.
Why Mozart?
It would be a crazy experience. He'd have such great stories to tell and I love the piano. I'd make him compose something new for me to vibe to. He seems like such an interesting guy and like he'd have a lot of wisdom to share.
— Rick Cantu
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Faces off the field: Westwood senior tennis player Dana Kardonik
