Blue Devil Athlete Spotlight: Elen Pilyagin (Girls Tennis)

 

Junior girls tennis student-athlete Elen Pilyagin has brought years of experience to the Blue Devils, developing a love for the sport well before arriving at Leominster High School.

“I started playing tennis about seven years ago when I was in fifth grade,” Pilyagin said. “My mom and brother were playing tennis, so I decided that I wanted to try playing, too.”

Since joining the team, she has quickly found success. As a sophomore, she went 15-0 without dropping a set, including a win in the MIAA playoffs at West Springfield. She has carried that momentum into her junior season, opening with seven straight wins and extending her streak to 22 matches—the longest in the program since at least 2004. At her current pace, she has the potential to become the winningest player in the program over the past 20 years.

While winning has been a major part of her success, one of the most rewarding aspects of the sport for Pilyagin is the mental escape it provides.

“I like that when I’m playing tennis, I can fully relax and unwind,” Pilyagin said. “In that moment, everything else fades away. I’m not thinking about any problems or worries. I’m just focusing completely on the game.”

She also values the welcoming environment she found upon arriving at LHS.

“What I like most about being part of the LHS team is how welcoming and kind everyone is,” Pilyagin said. “It makes it easy for me to socialize more and feel like I truly belong.”

“I was not introduced to Elen until November of her sophomore year when her math teacher informed me that he had a young lady in his class who he said played tennis,” said varsity head coach Daryl Robichaud. “Elen is a very quiet and reserved player, but that facade belies a sharp, clever and mischievous wit.

"It took me two matches to truly understand and appreciate the talent that I had with this new addition," Robichaud continued. "As a new player, I did not play her in the first match. I then played her at second singles in our second match. I must be a slow learner because it took me until the third match of her sophomore year to install her at first singles."

“One thing I have learned from Coach Roby is to never give up and keep pushing forward, even when things get difficult,” Pilyagin said.

After high school, Pilyagin plans to continue playing tennis in college while majoring in pre-veterinary studies with the goal of becoming a veterinarian. Outside of school, she enjoys continuing her tennis training and playing the guitar.

“Both tennis and guitar help me express myself in different ways,” Pilyagin said. “Tennis pushes me to stay disciplined, focused, and resilient, while guitar allows me to be creative and unwind. Together, they keep me balanced and motivated.”

At LHS, she credits her ESL teacher, Ms. Gumb, as her favorite.

“She always believed in me and supported me when things became challenging throughout my school career,” Pilyagin said. “She has helped me grow both academically and personally.”

Elen Pilyagin has made the most of her time at Leominster High School, embracing every opportunity on and off the court.