ATA Winter Camp Dec 28-Jan 1
Get a ton of tennis in over break and sign up for ATA Winter Camp that is starting Dec 28 and goes through Jan 1. Click here to learn more and sign up.
December SCMZ ATA wins 4 draws!
Caroline Wernli had a outstanding event. She was the runner up in G14 A draw singles, won the G14 doubles, and won the sportsmanship award. Doesn’t get much better than that.
Jesse Wikso won both of his B18 B draw singles and doubles.
Callie Creath won the G18 B draw doubles.
Other notable results from this past weekend:
Jake Riezebeek has been stepping up his game and got 4th place in B12s B draw, this is his 2nd tournament in a row that he has reached the semi finals.
Sarah Darbar had a great tournament and got 2nd place in G14 B draw doubles and reached the quarters in singles.
ATA CP Senior Erik Kerrigan Commits To University Of Chicago
ATA College Prep Senior Erik Kerrigan announced to his classmates and teachers last week that he plans to attend the University Of Chicago next fall – the number 4-ranked national university and the number 3-ranked NCAA Division III tennis program in the country.
“I am looking forward to stretching my mind and expanding my horizons at one of the top 5 universities in the world,” Erik said.
Earlier this month, Erik was also named a Commended Student in the 2016 National Merit Scholarship Program.
About 34,000 Commended Students were recognized this year for their exceptional academic promise. Commended students placed among the to 5{37ef6ac642fae6f93f343032eb62785d28fa7a25a4a4f0267a12512c541c53a9} of more that 1.5 million students who entered the competition by taking the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.
“I felt very prepared for the test,” Erik said. “The best way to do well on these tests is to do enough practice that you have effectively seen any kind of problem that will be asked.”
Erik specifically appreciated the guidance he received from ATA CP’s math and science specialist, Bryan Rutherford.
“Mr. Rutherford did a fantastic job when I came to him asking for help. He provided me with practice materials and was willing to take some of his free time to go over problems with me.”
Erik has been part of the ATA program for 6 years, and began ATA CP as a sophomore. Since beginning College Prep, Erik has become one of the best tennis players in the state. He is learning the importance of managing his time and his energy, thinking creatively and mastering problem solving, all of which are important preparation for a successful collegiate scholar-athlete.
“The biggest positives about CP for me include small classes, easy to access teachers, and lack of busywork,” Erik said. “All work assigned will help you grow, not just take up time.”
Erik’s daily routine at CP begins with a morning workout 7:45-9:30AM. He steps off the court and into school, selects a taco for breakfast and prepares for his CP Leadership meeting. Following a college block schedule, he moves from Computer Science to Debate to English Literature to Government to French on MW&F, and from Linear Algebra to Anatomy & Physiology on T & Th. His private lessons and fitness programming are interwoven throughout his days. Often, he finished with afternoon practice from 4-6PM and fitness from 6-7PM.
“I like that at CP, you can always find your teachers for help, and that classes don’t assign a lot of homework simply to take up time, they assign what needs to be known.”
This rigorous academic load is designed to prepare Erik and the other students for what comes next at a top-tier academic school. The intensity of two-a-day workouts, small group intensives, and individualized lessons are preparing him for elite college fitness training.
Erik will join a Men’s Varsity team at UChicago that competes in the NCAA DIII and consistently finishes in the top 5 nationally.
“I am looking forward to the challenge of making the lineup at a team contending for a National title, and being a leader on that team going forward.”
According to U.S. News & World Reports, the University of Chicago ties with Stanford and Columbia as the number 4-ranked national university. Erik will predictably step into a competitive environment with some of the brightest young adults in the world, including future teammate and ATA CP alum Liam Leddy.
“We’re very excited to have Erik joining us next year,” Liam said. “While I will have graduated by the time Erik gets to campus, it’s nice to know that ATA CP will still have representation on the team and at the university. I know that Erik will better the team, and UChicago will better him on and, most importantly, off the court.”
While the experience of living away from family and having a new setting around him are exciting, ultimately, it is the people he will spend his time with that set U of Chicago apart from other options.
“I think the combination of being near a big city, coupled with a great group of guys on the team, and a laid back coach made it a perfect combination for me.”
Denver and Kerry Qualify for Supers
This past weekend in the Austin CMZ, Denver Holden and Kerry Lum qualified for Supers. Denver is the youngest ATA super champ and he gave himself a great birthday present and won his draw to qualify. Kerry Lum made it to the semifinals and has enough points to qualify.
Coach Norm on Denver:
According to Coach Norm, “Denver showed tremendous grit and maintained a high level of energy while coming back to win his semifinal match after losing the first set and being down 2-5 in the second set. Denver fought his guts out and won 5 consecutive games to close out the second set, and then decisively won the third set.” Denver’s positive attitude, strong body language and fighting spirit were also displayed in his straight set victory in the finals. The fact that Denver Super-qualified on his 11th birthday, three months after he Champ-qualified, made it even sweeter. As Coach Norm assessed, “Denver is playing at another level and is on a big upswing.”
Coach Eric on Kerry:
Kerry’s path to Super-qualifying since she Champed-up in February has been marked by steady progress in her game and tournament results. In the last two CMZs, Kerry has displayed much improved footwork and a willingness to be more aggressive. Kerry has also learned to open up the court with sharply angled rollers and well executed drop shots. Coach Lucie believes yet another reason for Kerry’s improved tournament results is that “she is becoming quite the competitor, pumping her fist after great points and never giving up.” Kerry moves into SuperChamps with increased confidence and lots of positive momentum.
Sports: The Road to Somewhere – Just Not Where You Thought by Amy Pazahanick
This month’s article, from Growing Champions for Life, is by Amy Pazahanick. The article is about how sports help prepare the athlete for life ahead even though most will not be professionals in their sport. The article also gives some tips to parents at the end to read more click here.
Also, register for the free 45min webinar on “How to Help Your Child Conquer Fear,” on Dec 17th at 9pm EST.
Jake Riezebeek Earns Sportsmanship Award!
Jake Riezebeek was awarded the Clarence Mabry Sportsmanship award for the Wichita Falls Super Champ in November. It is an award voted on by the umpires and the tournament staff. He earned it by giving it his all every point, all while staying calm, collected and respecting his opponent. Congratulations to Jake for his accomplishment and for representing ATA well.
Aidan Canada Qualifies for Supers!
Aidan Canada qualified for B12’s Supers in the Dallas doubles champ. Him and his partner Grant took control in the final match and won 6-4,6-2. Aidan will be playing this first SCMZ in College Station this weekend!
Congrats Aidan!!!
12U Intermediate JTT wins State!
Sunday afternoon the 12u intermediate Junior Team Tennis team (Savannah Baptiste, Ross Cockrell, Denver Holden, Jack Marcus and Connor Russell) placed first at the State tournament in Midland, TX! Saturday they played 4 team matches and came out of their round robin as the leader in game percentage won. On Sunday, they played head to head in a bracket of the top 4 teams. They beat TCU in the semis 36-18 games and then had to stop for a rain delay. In the finals, versus SJ Dealey, the format was shortened to 7 point tiebreakers for the 2 doubles matches and 4 singles matches because they only had 1 indoor court. Savannah/Denver started the team off with a 7-5 win and then Ross/Connor finished out the doubles with a 9-7 win! Denver started us in singles with a 7-2 win, Savannah lost a tough breaker 4-7 and Ross finished it off with a 7-2 win to take first place! Jack did not have to play the 4th singles match because the team already won. Coach Carrie said, “The team had a lot of fun this weekend together and they handled the pressure of the final match so well.”
ATA had 2 more teams at the JTT State tournament we had our 10u green ball team (Luke Riezebeek, Clark White, Blake Tollen and Jacob Golden) they placed 5th in their draw! They played some tough teams and played well. Then, we also had our 12u Advanced team (Keana Moon, Jordan Phillips, Jake Riezebeek, Aiden Canada, and James Cockrell). The 12u team ended up bumping up and playing in the 14u advanced draw. They had a lot of stronger and older teams in their draw but stepped up and played great to place 5th! The teams had a ton of fun at the player party on Saturday night.
Connor, Keana and Savannah showing off their painted records!
Register for David Benzel Webinar on Nov 19
“What Your Child Needs to Succeed – Ten Life-Changing Strategies”
Join us as we expose the best-kept secrets of how parents can influence the well-being and happiness of their children. These top ten strategies will impact the entire family by giving you practical activities that shape the day-to-day outlook on good experiences and the not so good. Watch your child’s performance improve in every area of life.
– Learn how to teach your children self-directed character building;
– Discover the techniques and benefits of rewiring negative tendencies;
– Choose the strategies that will help your child improve the athletic journey, regardless of talent;
David will connect the key life skills of the lesson with winning on the field, and in life. The Power Point materials are loaded with practical information worth saving for future reference.
To register Click Here
Hunter Bleser and Payton Holden Sign National Letters of Intent
The fitness center at ATA was packed with the ATA community supporting Hunter Bleser and Payton Holden as they both signed their National Letters of Intent on Wednesday. Hunter Bleser has signed with University of Virginia and Payton Holden has signed with Princeton University. They are both seniors at ATA College Prep and will graduate in May 2016.
Hunter has only been at ATA a short while but has made a big impact. Coach Lucie said, “She is a leader and does so by being a good example to others.” Hunter has sacrificed a lot to be a part of the ATA program. She spoke Wednesday night about how she gained a second family/home at ATA, how she now has the opportunity to play at University of Virginia and that the sacrifices and hard work are worth it. Hunter will start at the University of Virginia in the Fall of 2016.
Payton Holden has been at ATA for nine years and has had a very successful career so far. Most of the coaching staff has known Payton since he started at ATA nine years ago as a skinny kid with glasses. Many stories were told some were about how he was the most competitive player and that he wanted to win everything no matter who he was playing. Coach Doug called him a “Racehorse.” Payton is the first player in ATA history to sign with an Ivy League school. Payton is excited to attend Princeton University in the Fall of 2016 and wants to be an impact player.
Congratulations to Hunter and Payton!
5 ATA Players Playing for State!
Andrea Stapper, Meghan O’Malley, Blaine Kanak, Kailey Chase and Synclair Larson all have the same goal in mind this year and it is to Win State! These 5 ATA players are all on Vandegrift’s tennis team, which is the first tennis team in school history that is going to the state finals. Vandegrift has had a record breaking season with going 163-0 in districts, which broke the district and the school record. Their team catch phrase is “That’s what you want!” The players are fired up and ready to compete to win. The team will begin their journey to claim the state title with play starting on Wednesday at 11:30 at Texas A&M University varsity courts. They will play College Station A&M consolidated in the semi-final match. The matches are played with doubles first followed by singles, the first team to win 10 matches wins the duel.
Click here for more info and to follow their results.
Vandegrift’s regional t-shirts supporting Wounded Warriors Foundation. Vandegrift was named after Matthew Vandegrift who served and died in Iraq.
Inside An ATA College Prep Morning Practice
The ATA College Prep students take the courts at 7:45am for morning workouts every day. The group, typically led by ATA’s Head Coach Doug Davis, will practice until 9:30, when they grab some breakfast and transition to their first class at 9:45am.
While most will end the day with normal Academy practice from 4-7pm after a full day of classes, the morning practice presents an additional opportunity for the CP student-athletes to focus on specific goals and get individual attention.
Recently, morning practices have been structured with half the group in live-ball situations, while the other half works through three drill courts that are the same each day until the goal is met.
“There are foundational shots and patterns worked on the least in typical daily practice,” Coach Davis said. “We are focused on those shots and patterns that will benefit our players significantly, and we’re focused on them long enough so they can master them.”
The three drill-courts:
- 3-Shot Combo: Transition shot, with the first volley hit through the court and second volley angled off.
- Serving court
“Of course a serve court, because serving is just so important,” Davis said.
- Inside-Out Forehand Pattern court
“These are fundamentally important enough that we need to master them and we as coaches are dedicated to sticking with them until then,” Davis said.
Each court has a coach and typically no more than a handful of players at one time. This small ratio allows for the most possible individual attention and the fastest progress.
“We are starting to see results in tournaments,” Davis said.
Chase Bartlett, a senior at CP, agreed that the focused attention is paying off.
“I definitely feel better in transition specifically since focusing on it in practice,” Chase said. “I feel much more comfortable executing transitions and coming to the net recently. And, my inside-out forehand followed by drop shot is getting really good,” Chase said with a smirk as he headed to class.
Five Strategies for Teaching Your Child Life Lessons
This months Growing Champions for Life Winner’s Connections article, by David Benzel, is about strategies for teaching life lessons to your child. The goal for using these strategies is to get your child thinking about what works in life, and to consider their own choices as a pathway to learning to make better ones. Click Here to read more
The 5 Strategies:
- Walk the Talk – The most obvious of all, yet often neglected approach is to demonstrate the skill with our own behavior…to teach by example.
- Catch Them Doing it Right – Be the observer and “noticer” of admirable behavior by your child and comment on the significance and benefits of it.
- Look Out the Window for the Good – Watch for examples of credible behavior in people outside your family and ask your child, “What do you admire about what we just witnessed?”
- Look Out the Window for the Not-So-Good – Watch for examples of questionable behavior in people outside your family and ask your child, “What choices might have worked better in that situation?”
- Ask Yourself Wonder-FULL Questions – Instead of thinking, “Why is my child so undisciplined?”, or “…so lazy?” ask yourself a question like, “I wonder how I can help my child discover the benefits of self-discipline?” or, “I wonder how I can teach my child to enjoy hard work?”
www.growingchampionsforlife.com
ATA CP Senior Payton Holden Commits To Princeton University
ATA College Prep Senior Payton Holden recently announced that he plans to pursue his academic and athletic careers at Princeton University – the number 1 ranked national university – next fall.
“The main thing that drew me to Princeton was the high academic level,” Payton said. “No one in my family has ever attended the Ivy and I think it will be a life-changing experience.”
Payton first came to ATA nearly nine years ago, learning QuickStart tennis skills and having fun with the game. Today, Payton is amid his 5th year in the ATA College Prep program, has blossomed into a top national-level tennis player and is a standout student in a challenging academic environment.
“Payton Holden is the sort of young man ATA and ATA College Prep were designed to help,” Coach Jack Newman said. “He struck his first ball as a wide-eyed 9 year old and has been a top US junior tennis competitor the entire 9 years since. With his latest accomplishment of committing to Princeton University, Payton joins the ranks of ATA players who have used their tennis and academics to leverage their college choice. He joins former students like Jeff Offerdahl (Vanderbilt), Grayson Broadus and Josh Hagar (Notre Dame), Spencer Chiu (Pomona) and Camilla Trapness (Amherst) in an exciting adventure of college tennis and academics.”
Athletically, Payton will join a Princeton Tigers team that competes in the Ivy League alongside schools like Harvard and Yale. The group finished 2015 ranked 36 in the nation, logging a record of 19-8.
“I am so excited for the team aspect of college tennis,” Payton said. “Anyone who knows me will say that I am a people-person, and being with a group of 10-12 guys all working towards the same goal will create something special in the end.”
Academically, Princeton is the number 1 ranked national university according to U.S. News & World Reports. For Payton, it is the opportunity to grow that he is most excited about.
“I am excited to have my mind blown,” he said. “School will be extremely difficult and I am excited to see how I handle it and how it changes me as a person.”
Payton started this school year as a junior, but decided to graduate early when the opportunity became available. This is one example of how CP works to maximize students’ college opportunities through individualization and planning.
“One of our foundational principles is to provide opportunities that help a child move from where he is to where he wants to go,” CP Director Carol Hagar said. “Because of our flexible learning schedule and individual academic planning, Payton was able to explore advanced placement, high school credit courses at a very young age. He began typical high school freshman courses during his 7th grade year at CP and has been able to continue at an accelerated pace. Now he is exercising his option to graduate a year early and attend the school of his dreams, Princeton University.”
In his years at CP, it is learning to get the most out of himself that stands out to Payton as what will stick with him moving forward.
“ATA CP has taught me the responsibility to manage my own time,” Payton said. “Its schedule is similar to a college schedule, so it has made me comfortable with learning certain topics on my own between classes and completing school work while on the road.”
While Payton logged long hours to earn his place at Princeton, he gives credit to his long-time coach, Jack Newman, for the long-term plan and ultimately opening the door.
“Coach Newman is a college process guru,” Payton said. “He knows everyone, but more importantly every coach knows who he is and respects him as a coach. He has a very good reputation with college coaches and it allows him to get his students more opportunities.”
Beyond forehands and physics, Payton will head to Princeton armed with other tools that he also credits to his time at ATA.
“ATA has taught me a strong work ethic and to enjoy the struggles on and off the court,” Payton said. “When you encounter any adversity and overcome it, you grow as a person/player.”
Congratulations, Payton, and go Tigers! Join the community at ATA on Nov 11th to celebrate Payton at his official Signing Ceremony party.
15th Annual Pro-Am Shootout – ‘One Of Our Best Ever’
The 15th annual Austin Tennis Academy Pro-Am Shootout brought the ATA community together last weekend, featuring a banquet on Friday evening and a pro-am Calcutta-style tennis tournament on Saturday.
“This year’s SHOOTOUT was one of our best ever,” ATA CEO Jack Newman said. “The dinner and auction was exciting. The PRO-AM tennis was competitive. Players, coaches and patrons all had a fun time competing in tennis. Great Weekend!!!”
The weekend benefits the Austin Athletic Scholarship Foundation, which helps support deserving student-athletes who are pursuing a disciplined lifestyle to reach their highest level of accomplishment.
The Friday-night banquet, hosted at the Sonesta Hotel, featured a cocktail hour with silent auction items on display, followed by a presentation and live auction over dinner.
Jeff Blatt opened the evening by presenting a check to the A Glimmer of Hope Foundation‘s Donna Berber as part of the ATA’s continued support of the organization.
Later, the annual named scholarships were handed out and each of the recipients were honored.
Here are the 2015-2016 scholarship recipients:
Esmerelda Werbeck Scholarship – Kristin Kerrigan
Lindsey Pereira Leadership Scholarship – Hunter Bleser
Roger Gubser Scholarship – Callie Creath
Sterling Wilson Scholarship – Kyler Bender
Cameron Dabaghi Scholarship – Erik Kerrigan
On Saturday, the community hit the courts for a day of competitive team-tennis amongst friends and family.
At the end, it was Leftys Rule, a team led by Estevam Strecker and Charlie Shin that finished in first place. Strecker commented on the weekend overall.
“Anytime we can focus on doing something for someone else it is a great thing,” Strecker said. “I enjoy going to sleep knowing that my day mattered, that in a very small way I made a difference in someone else’s life. The Shootout is a really cool opportunity to accomplish that. Tennis is the greatest sport on earth and I dedicated my life to it, so being able to use tennis to improve the lives of people in need is an extremely rewarding thing.”
If you would still like to contribute to the Austin Athletic Scholarship Foundation there is still time! Also – don’t forget about the raffle for the 2016 Jeep Wrangler!
Tickets are still available. Just contact Deb Cahill at Deb.Cahill@AustinTennisAcademy.com.
UT Neuroscientist To Speak To CP Students Tuesday
Dr. Kimberley Raab-Graham, a Professor of Neuroscience and a Principal Investigator in the Center for Learning and Memory at the University of Texas in Austin, will speak to the ATA College Prep students and teachers on campus this Tuesday.
“Dr. Raab-Graham and her graduate students will give a presentation to our students describing some of their work, and how our memory works,” CP teacher Summer Messer said. “Students will also be broken into small groups for learning activities.”
Her group researches molecular mechanisms used during learning and memory, focusing on how synapses transform the makeup of protein in a site-specific manner in response to changes in the activities of neurons. Their goal is to discover how different cellular mechanisms are manipulated in mental disorders and neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr. Raab-Graham’s research has been published in several scientific journals including Molecular Psychiatry, Neurobiology of Disease, and Journal of Cell Biology.
“We are excited for the opportunity to host and hear from Neuroscientists performing cutting edge research in their field,” Messer said.
For more information on Dr. Raab-Graham and her research go to https://clm.utexas.edu/krglab.
ATA’s Ryan Leman: The World’s Fastest Stringer, And So Much More
ATA’s head stringer Ryan Leman recently claimed his spot as the fastest tennis racquet stringer in the world at the International Alliance of Racket Technicians (IART) symposium. He followed that up by captivating an audience of Little Mo Nationals families with a breathtaking fire-spinning performance last week. Next week, Ryan will host a Circadian Sound Meditation at a music festival in Austin.
“There are many things in the works right now, I don’t like to be bored,” Ryan said. “Things are happening, and it’s beautiful.”
While Ryan has been stringing at ATA for the past 4 years, he was introduced to the craft as a young tennis player in Flower Mound, TX. His coach also happened to be an extremely fast stringer, and Ryan was instantly fascinated.
“I would watch him anytime I could while asking a million questions,” Ryan said. “Eventually he let me get on the machine and immediately I was addicted to timing myself and getting faster.”
Eight years later, Ryan has strung over 20,000 racquets. Last month, he traveled to Florida to attend the IART symposium. The annual event brings together the worlds best stringers and pro shop owners for an array of professional development opportunities, while featuring a Speed Stringing Contest. Ryan took home the title this year with a time of 8 minutes, 45 seconds.
Ryan also recently earned his certification as a Master Racquet Technician – the highest possible certification in the United States.
“Stringing has become a meditative experience for me now,” Ryan said.
While he has a lot happening beyond stringing, it is a love of learning that is the common thread throughout. He channels this through his various passions, producing a fascinating mix of depth and creative expression.
Fire spinning, maybe the most dangerous of Ryan’s pursuits, involves baton-like sticks with wicks on either end that he uses to manipulate fire in ways that inspire awe in anyone watching.
“It is a very grounding and meditative experience, just like stringing, where you are in the moment right here, right now. If you mess up, you get burned. And it’s a great lesson for life: prepare yourself and your time will come with the staff. If you practice and know what moves you can do, when you light it on fire you have full confidence in the ability of your flow.”
While Ryan connects with stringing and fire spinning at a depth that reveals to him truths about life, he also strives to connect with people.
Ryan is also a massage therapist and recently got his License from The Lauterstein-Conway Massage School.
“I love this healing modality as it allows me to connect with my friends, clients, and just about every person,” Ryan said. “Because lets be honest, who couldn’t use a massage?”
Whether it is through massage, or driving for Uber, or producing a film called Underworld (yes, he’s also a film producer), Ryan is constantly learning, constantly making connections, and constantly expressing himself.
For much of his life, Ryan has found inspiration in a few key thoughts: first, Wayne Dyer: “Love what you do, do what you love.” Next, Abraham Lincoln: “I will prepare myself and my time will come.” Lastly, Michael Garfield: “Imagination is our greatest natural resource.”
“I have looked at these few quotes for the majority of my life and I feel it is exactly what ATA is about. Prepare yourself, let the coaches and people around you help with your process, and the right situation will manifest, so make sure you dream big. And if you aren’t doing what you love, then what are you doing?”
It is also the people that make ATA his top choice of all the places he’s worked.
“What makes ATA stand out is the rest are the staff members and their dedication to the players. We have an amazing team of resources. When you mix so much talent in one academy it makes for an incredible learning environment.”
Learn More About Ryan Rowe
Ryan comes from Chicago where he has been coaching since 2009. He helped with the adult and junior programs. His main focus was on traveling with high level juniors to tournaments. Before he started coaching, he played his collegiate with our Junior Development Director Brandon Davis at the University of Illinois. He was a two time All American and NCAA Doubles Champion with team mate Kevin Anderson, who is currently top 10 in the world professionally. Ryan was ranked number 1 in the country in doubles in college and as high as 8 in singles! After college he played professionally and was career high 726 in singles and 489 in doubles.
Ryan Rowe joined the Austin Tennis Academy Team in August 2015. He works full time with our College Prep, Academy, Junior Academy, and Junior Development programs.
2 Qualify for Champs from San Antonio ZAT
Congrats to Ross Cockrell and Devan Sabapathy for qualifying for Champs from the last ZAT tournament in San Antonio. Ross won the Boys 12s white draw and Devan made it to the finals of Boys 12s red draw. Also, Jack Marcus made it to the semis of Boys 12s and Clark Sweeney won the Boys 14s consolation.
Ross Cockrell 1st place in ZAT
ATA College Prep Senior Hunter Bleser Commits To U Of Virginia
Hunter Bleser, a senior at ATA College Prep, recently accepted a full scholarship offer from the University of Virginia, where she will extend her academic and athletic careers beginning next fall.
“Virginia, for me, hit a home run in every aspect that I was looking for in a college,” Hunter said. “They have an incredible athletic program and are one of the top ranked schools in the country academically.
The University of Virginia was ranked the number 3 best public university in the United States according to the 2016 U.S. News and World Report rankings. Founded by Thomas Jefferson as a research university in Charlottesville, UVA enrolls about 15 thousand undergraduates and another 6 thousand graduates on campus.
“I’m excited to push my mind to its full capabilities and to have the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the brightest people out there,” said Hunter.
On the court, Hunter will look to contribute to a Cavalier team that finished the 2015 season ranked 9th in the country. Athletically, Hunter said she is most excited to push her limits and improve.
“To have the long days where I know I’m going to be completely exhausted when I get back to my room every night and to have the practices where I feel like I’m going to die. That to me is the best part.”
Her choice ultimately came down to the University of Kansas and the University of Minnesota besides UVA. For Hunter, Virginia presented the best opportunity to excel to her full potential both academically and athletically, which is what she is most looking forward to at the next level.
“Initially though, I would have to say the academics are what drew me to it. The great athletics program was just icing on the cake,” Hunter said.
Hunter joined the ATA College Prep program the summer before her senior year. She has thrived in a program that focuses on direct preparation for the environment of high-level academics and athletics into which its students will move.
“ATA CP is different from my previous school because it is more accommodating to my busy schedule but in a college set up. The longer classes and the block schedule really makes you work harder and focus more than my previous school did. The teachers here are more understanding with my busy schedule but they make a point not to take it easy on me just because of that. ATA CP definitely gets you ready for a more college-like setting than your typical public school.”
Preparation for and guidance through the college process is a pillar of ATA CP, and was something that stood out to Hunter.
“ATA tremendously helped me in my college process. They explained to me what exactly it is coaches are looking for and encouraged me to play my game just the way it is. They also went above and beyond with helping me get connected to my dream school. I truly owe this program everything and these coaches everything!”
For Lucie Schmidhauser, her primary coach at ATA, Hunter deserves all the credit.
“Hunter impressed me from the start with her willingness to do whatever it takes to get better as a tennis player. She has a big upside that will allow her to be a successful collegiate tennis player at the University of Virginia. Her height, huge forehand and aggressive gamestyle will make her a force to be reckoned with at the highest levels of collegiate play. Hunter is also very coachable, humble and hard-working and these qualities will serve her well in the future, on and off the court.”
ATA College Prep Director Carol Hagar also praised Hunter.
“I am incredibly proud of Hunter! She came to ATA CP in full force and has taken full advantage of all that is offered here. Her positive attitude, academic diligence, and compassion for her classmates will definitely complement her future successes at UVA.”
Congratulations, Hunter!