If there’s one player you need to keep an eye out for on the tennis court, it’s freshman Charlie Sharton. Sharton who turned 15 last month is ranked 5th in the United States Tennis Association (USTA) New England 16 and under age group, and last month, he was ranked second in New England for the 14 and under age group.

His parents, both of whom played tennis competitively during their college years, introduced Sharton to tennis.

“I was on the court when I was at least three. Tennis is just in my family,” Sharton said.

Sharton plays tennis year-round, practicing around six times a week. He is an active member of the Thoreau Club in Concord. Sharton also competes in USTA tournaments in New England.

“I love competitions. It’s probably the main reason I play,” Sharton said. “You feel so accomplished when you do well. It’s a really good feeling, and it keeps you motivated to improve.”

Besides just New England tournaments, Sharton has competed in the Winter National Championships and other national events.

“They’re tough, but you get to see the best players in the country and see how you compare to them and what you need to do to get better,” Sharton said.

Playing at such a high level can be nerve-wracking for Sharton, so before or during a competition, he uses different techniques to cope with his nerves.

“The best way to deal with nerves is too keep your routine and have a solid set of ways that you do things because that way you can just counteract the nerves and stay focused,” Sharton said.

Sharton’s brother, Will, is also ranked very highly in the 16 and under and 18 and under New England rankings.

“I’ve never played [Will] in a tournament match, but we play in practice sometimes,” Sharton said. “We both want to be better than the other, so it helps us to work hard.”

Sharton, along with his brother, are playing for the boys’ tennis team this season.

“I’m looking forward to tennis this year. We have a good group of guys for high school, and I think we can do well,” Charlie said.

Charlie also hopes to continue playing tennis through college.