Junior of the Month: AJ Brewer

By Alan Williams 

·        Member of USA Cadet Boys’ Team

·        2006 U.S. Open Under 13 Boys’ Singles & Doubles Champion, Under 15 Boys’ Singles & Doubles Runner-up, Under 18 Boys’ Singles Quarterfinalist

·        2006 North American Cadet Singles & Doubles Runner-up

·        2006 Indiana State Men’s Singles & Doubles Champion

Born in July of 1993, Anthony Joshua (Call me AJ) Brewer is the son of George and Brenda Brewer.  As of this writing, he is also the #3 under 14 boy in America (#1 earlier this year), sporting a rating of 2231 with a lifetime high of 2303, remarkable given the relatively few years he’s been playing.  An all-around athlete, AJ is also a well-adjusted and well-behaved young man.   Here’s what he had to say when he caught up to him after the U.S. Open this past summer.

How were you introduced to the sport of Table Tennis?

My Dad played at the club and one night, when I was eight, he asked if I wanted to come, too.  It was so much fun that I joined the team. 

So you latched on from the start, no one had to push you?

Just my Dad, but I can beat him.

At 2200+ you can beat a lot of people besides your Dad.

Yup.

Were you serious from the start, or did that come later?

I got serious about improving right from the start.  Danny Seemiller is my coach and working with him has been great.  I owe a lot to Danny.  I’ve been working with him since before I played my first tournament.  Being nationally ranked is great, but an Olympic Gold Medal is my goal.

That’s a lofty goal. So how much training have you been doing?

Well, this summer I went to Texas, the United Arab Emirates and China for the China Junior Championships.  I train about three hours a day during the school year, but when school is out I train at home because our club is in a school. 

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