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Snow and ice has been gripping much of the country over the past few weeks, byt some tennis players didn't let that stop them from turning up the heat in January. We took some time to catch up with some of those players in this month's Prince Hot 100.

The Prince Hot 100 lists are published each month, and the February Hot 100 lists feature the one hundred boys and girls who most improved their rankings during the month of January. You can find out more about the Prince Hot 100 - and how the lists are calculated - by reading here.

The latest lists, published today, are now available:

• Boys' Hot 100
• Girls' Hot 100

Let's take a look at a few of these players...

Roundup

Ethan Prost (Peoria, Az.)

Three-star freshman Ethan Prost believes his intense training is what led to his recent success. He works with coach Joey Blake of the USA Global Tennis Academy. "Coach Blake has been instrumental in my improvement," Prost said. "Not only has he refined my technique but he has helped me to understand how to build points better and control my emotions during a match."

In addition to regular tennis drills and practice, Prost and his coaches have been focusing intensely on off-court training. Part of this routine is boxing with former world boxing champion Rollin Williams. "Boxing is one of the most intense workouts I have ever done but also one that I enjoy tremendously," Prost said. "It has helped with my agility, footwork and stamina."

Prost also dedicates time to yoga to help with his flexibility. "These past couple months, I have also taken my yoga practice more seriously and stretch daily to help prevent injury and increase my range of motion," he said.

The Peoria, Arizona, native believes that this training schedule is what sets him apart. "I feel what distinguishes me from other players is my intensity and work ethic," Prost said. "I know I may not be the biggest, strongest or most talented player, but what I lack in those areas I overcome by listening to my coaches and working harder."

His parents, Michael and Maile Prost, agree but also mention his sportsmanship as a distinguishing quality.

"The attribute that we as parents are most proud of is his sportsmanship with his fellow players," they said. "He will have a grueling match with a player, and afterwards you will find him hanging out with them or warming that same player up for their next match. He gives the same level of respect to every opponent he plays."

Prost is currently spending time on his mental game and shot selection. "Right now, I am working on improving my mental game, understanding the right moments to be aggressive and which shots to use at these times," he said. "I'm also working on my weapon development, which includes my forehand, serve and transition game."

Prosts's good results last month show that his intense training paid off. He won the consolation event at the Valley of the Sun Junior Challenger and reached the playoffs of the Pheonix Junior Masters Championships, raking in an overall record of 8-2 for the month of February.

His strong results have him in high hopes for the future of his game. Prost also recognizes the importance of academics when thinking about college.

"My parents are firm believers that my education is just as important as tennis," he said. "My ultimate goal is to play tennis at the professional level, but I feel that college tennis can help me develop my game and mature physically. I hope to play D-I tennis for a university with a strong business school and a highly competitive tennis program."