ATA alumni Ashley Ford, a sophomore at Millsaps won her conference’s (Southern Athletic Association) player of the week award this past week. Ashley went 4-0 at #1 singles and doubles for the weekend helping her team win both matches to close out their regular season. Click here to read more
Earlier this year, Coach Newman invited six ATA alumni members who work in Austin to participate in a panel discussion so current ATA students could see how some of the life lessons they are learning have been applied in real life. The goal of having current ATA students witness firsthand the powerful outcomes that result through the positive processes the ATA program offers was accomplished in a powerful way through this panel discussion. Many of the ATA coaches who attended were impressed by the articulate and insightful nature of the comments shared by the alumni members. Through the stories they shared, each of the alumni members communicated that the ATA culture and the process of competing in junior tennis had been their primary driver of success.
Many of the alumni members contributed specific thoughts on the qualities they learned from junior tennis and ATA that has helped them succeed in the workforce. Ryan Berber, who was on the tennis team at Claremont McKenna and is currently an Investment Associate at Nicoya Capital, said he learned how to stay calm under pressure through competing in junior tennis and that he never gets rattled in his job. Santiago Montoya, who played for Notre Dame and now serves as Chief Investment Officer for A Glimmer of Hope Foundation, talked about learning how to rebound from failure since most tennis players lose frequently. This resiliency has helped Santiago in his professional career. Whitney Waters, who earned All-American honors at University of Redlands and currently serves as the Director of Marketing for AlertMedia, shared how learning how to lose with humility has been invaluable given the fact that you lose deals in business. Blake Davis, who played in the starting line-up all four years at Florida State and now serves as an analyst for Elberon Investment Fund, talked about how the competitiveness that was his biggest strength in tennis has also allowed him to enjoy professional success. Blake got the attention of the ATA students by telling a poignant story about his first job out of college with Wells Fargo’s Investment Banking division. Blake shared that despite the fact that the vast majority of the people who were in the year-long training program were Ivy League graduates, more than 50{37ef6ac642fae6f93f343032eb62785d28fa7a25a4a4f0267a12512c541c53a9} of his colleagues could not handle the rigorous demands of the program and either quit or were fired. Blake attributed his competitiveness and desire to win at everything he did for allowing him to succeed in the training program, while many of the Ivy League graduates couldn’t handle it.
The panelists also shared their most significant takeaways from being in the ATA program that have benefitted them after their tennis careers ended. Santiago Montoya mentioned how his discipline was shaped at ATA and is now infused in his core. Santiago, like several other panelists, also talked about the goal setting he learned under Coach Newman. Whitney Waters emphasized learning to put the process of pursuing excellence in tennis over result outcomes, as well as the real life applications in terms of learning to appreciate the journey. Claire Cahill, who earned All-American honors at Washington & Lee and currently serves as a Business Analyst for Bazaarvoice, told an inspiring story of how she had to come back to her ATA roots to get her college tennis career moving in the right direction. Following Claire’s sophomore year at Washington & Lee in which she did not play in the starting line-up, Claire decided she needed to step up her commitment and return to her disciplined training habits by spending the entire summer doing morning and afternoon practices at ATA under the guidance of Coach Newman. The net result of Claire’s hard work and dedication was earning All-American honors at the end of her junior year after playing in the doubles and singles line-up the entire season. Claire attributed her remarkable turnaround to the hard work she put in at ATA the summer before her junior year.
Many of the alumni members said the thing they valued the most from their experience at ATA was the life-long friendships they formed there. ATA coach Brandon Davis, whose collegiate career at the University of Illinois was highlighted by reaching the NCAA Finals in 2007, shared that “the friends I made at ATA are still my best friends and we have been in each other’s weddings.” Brandon also urged the current players to take advantage of the opportunity to create their own special relationships during their time at ATA.
The most poignant example of a lasting relationship that began at ATA was that of alumni members Whitney Waters and Ryan Berber who recently announced their engagement.
Given the inspiring nature of the stories shared by the alumni members that reinforce the life lessons the ATA coaching staff is trying to instill in our students, there will be more of these panel discussions in the future.
ATA Alumni Andrew Parks Earns Player of the Week Award
Air Force Academy senior and ATA alumni Andrew Parks went 4-0 this past weekend to earn player of the week award for the Mountain West Conference. He also earned his first career win over a nationally ranked opponent! Congrats to Andrew! To read more on his weekend results click here.
Austin Tennis Academy veteran Meghan O’Malley will sign her letter of intent to attend the United States Naval Academy on Wednesday evening while the community comes together to celebrate.
“I am fortunate to have grown up at ATA,” Meghan said.
Meghan has been a consistent staple in the programs at ATA since she was 10. When she looks back on it all, it is the people who stand out the most.
“I am grateful to have trained with great tennis coaches who are also great people,” Meghan said. “They commanded that I give my best on the court and they were dedicated to making me a better player. Most importantly, they cared about me as a person, not just after a match or during a tournament weekend, but every day. I have so many great memories, so many moments that I will remember the rest of my life.”
Meghan has consistently ranked among the 20 best girls in Texas in her age group, and the top 150 in the United States. She is also a 2-time National Champion as a member of the Dream Team in Junior Team Tennis. Just last weekend, Meghan reached the semifinals of her draw at USTA Texas Excellence. With plenty of on court success, it is her personal growth and perspective off the court that has been Meghan’s biggest takeaway from her time in the sport.
“ATA has taught me resilience, discipline, dedication, and commitment. Playing tennis has provided me with a foundation of some pretty amazing life lessons. ATA encouraged me to be a good tennis player but also a citizen of significance. I think that’s the biggest difference with ATA — it provides us with a culture to give back and to grow to be a leader. I think the culture of ATA led me to think about what I want as an adult. I want a life of purpose, to be part of something meaningful, something bigger than myself.”
With her strong sense of mindfulness and connection to citizenship (Meghan recently raised over $5k for Wounded Warriors), the Naval Academy was a natural fit. More importantly, though, Meghan has been well acquainted with the Navy for as long as she can recall.
“My dad was an officer in the Navy, so it has always been a part of my life,” Meghan said. “I grew up knowing that the Naval Academy was special. I knew the Academy would provide me with a strong academic education and outstanding opportunities to develop leadership skills. But it was my visits to Annapolis and to the Yard where I really learned that it is an exceptional place. Everyone works hard and everyone has a strong drive to succeed.”
Meghan will join a Navy Women’s Tennis Team that is about half way through the 2015-2016 season and is 7-4. The team competes in The Patriot League, where historically they have made 4 tournament finals appearances in 8 seasons.
“I am really excited to be a part of the Naval Academy’s tennis team. I immediately connected with Coach Puryear, Coach Pedergnana, and the players on the team. I’m excited to continue to take my game to the next level and continue to compete.”
Meghan will also enter a tough academic environment. As a science and technical school, The Naval Academy focuses heavily on science and math, with military education that includes ethics and leadership training.
“While I don’t know exactly what I want to study, I’m leaning towards International Relations then pursuing a law degree. The Naval Academy faculty invests a lot of time in helping students choose a field of study so I’m also going to be open to new ideas and experiences. My summers will be filled with hands on training on our nation’s fleet. I will spend time on different kinds of ships, in different parts of the world and will have the opportunity to spend summers abroad. I’m most excited about being on an Aircraft Carrier and learning more about Naval Aviation.”
Meghan will rely on academic foundations developed during her six years as a student at ATA College Prep.
“I think ATA CP is a very special and unique place. The small class sizes made it easy to have meaningful discussions, and it enabled me to have strong relationships with my teachers and my peers. At ATA CP, I learned how to learn, and I learned how to enjoy the process of learning. Of course grades are important at CP but it’s also about being curious and having an open mind for new experiences.”
For her senior year, Meghan is attending Vandegrift High School in Austin – on of the top public schools in the city.
“I’m enjoying my first and last year as a public high school student. It’s a much different experience and I’ve learned a lot from it. First, most of my classes have over 30 students in them. I have dedicated teachers, but they don’t have flexibility to make sure all the students understand the topics. There have been many times where I must choose between academic or tennis success. Also, teachers are bound by many rules. They’re sympathetic when I have a big tournament coming up or when I miss several days of school for tennis, but they can’t change test dates or project due dates. This has helped my time management, and I’m learning to operate on less sleep. But, it has made me appreciate the ATA CP teachers; they looked out for my development as a whole.”
Through the whole process – nearly a decade of tennis training and accomplishment – the lasting sentiment for Meghan has nothing to do with tennis.
“I think the most important thing I’ve learned is that I am responsible for my success and my happiness. Every experience has the opportunity to provide me with things to complain about, thing to be grateful for and things to learn. I have the ability to choose what I focus on.”
Please join the ATA community as we celebrate with Meghan and her family at her Signing Ceremony this Wednesday evening at 6:30 in the ATA Fitness Center.
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.”
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.
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!
ATA College Prep alum Maggie O’Meara earned All-Mountain West honors for her doubles play this season alongside partner McKenzie Davis. O’Meara earned all-conference honors, an award voted on by the coaches throughout the conference, in her Freshman season.
The duo logged a 15-4 record so far this season, and looks to add to that record in the second round of the Mountain West Women’s Tennis Championships on Friday against San Jose State.
Congratulations, Maggie, and good luck this weekend!
The ATA Academy alumni are making waves across the country in college tennis. From time to time, we like to bring you an update on what some of them are up to at the next level. Below are links to three articles that feature recent accomplishments by three of our recent graduates. Enjoy!
Colton Malesovas, competing for Whitman College, earned Northwest Conference Player Of The Week after going undefeated at #1 singles and #1 doubles against three top-25 teams in the same weekend. Read more here.
Andrew Parks, competing for the Air Force Academy, split sets against Northern Arizona at #5 singles as the duel match leveled at 3-3. With the duel-match on the line, Parks performed at his best, earning a clutch 7-6 victory in the third set to clinch the victory for the Falcons. This was Andrew 4th 4-3 clincher on his career. Read more here.
Ashley Ford, a freshman competing for the Millsaps Majors, took on the top nationally ranked team of Emory University this past week. Ford fought her way to the only victory for her school, taking the #2 singles point in a riveting 10-8 in the third set victory. Read more here.
Good luck to all of the ATA alumni competing across the country!
The Intercollegiate Tennis Association released its preseason rankings yesterday, and ATA alum Josh Hagar is all over them.
Hagar is entering his Sophomore season at Notre Dame University. His team will open the year ranked 14th in the nation, while Josh and partner Eddy Covalschi earned the number 9 spot in the nation.
Josh also appeared on the singles rankings, coming in at number 82 in the nation.
Well done, Josh!
ATA senior Carli Knezevich committed to pursue the next steps in her academic and athletic careers at Abilene Christian University this coming fall.
“ATA has really taught me how to be a team player and to always push myself along with my teammates,” Carli said. “I will continue to use these tools throughout my college experience and even after college.”
Congratulations, Carli, and go Wildcats!
Claire Cahill, ATA alum and current senior captain of the Washington and Lee University Varsity Women’s tennis team, is spending her summer as the Marketing and Communications Intern for the USTA Texas Section.
Whitman College Sophomore and ATA alum Colton Malesovas fought his way to the USTA/ITA Regional Singles Championship this past weekend.
Colton, on the right, practices over the summer at ATA in preperation for the season.
“Liam started tennis late. He started in a PE class we offered for home-schooled kids. Josh Hagar was one of Liam’s first coaches. That was in the fall of 2007. Liam caught the tennis bug and has worked consistently hard since then to become an accomplished super champ player. When you start late like Liam, it is challenging. You are often training with smaller, younger kids and that can be annoying. That did not deter Liam. He worked his way up through the Texas competitive system and he worked his way up through the ATA system. Liam is headed to the university of Chicago, one of the most challenging academic environments in the country. The same determination and work ethic that allowed Liam to reach this level of accomplishment will allow him to continue that improvement and success in college.”
Andrew researched the Air Force Academy after receiving an email from Coach Dan Oosterhous, the head coach of the Falcon’s, and found the combination of great athletics and great academics for which he was looking.
“I was intrigued by the small teacher-student ratio and the teacher availability for the cadets,” Andrew explained. “I also liked how there are academic advisors for the tennis team, so I felt I would be in good hands to be a successful Air Force cadet. I kept in constant contact with Coach Oosterhous on a weekly basis and knew this is the coach I want to play for in college.”
Andrew explained that the application process is very demanding, and is a major challenge in itself to prove that the Air Force Academy is something the applicant truly wants. To get an appointment, each applicant must complete essays, meet standardized test score requirements, pass eye and medical exams, take and pass the Candidate Fitness Assessment (CFA), send transcripts and interview with an Air Liaison Officer (Captain John Ellis for Andrew). Then, each applicant must send similar applications to many of the Texas Senators and Representative’s to receive a nomination. To be fully accepted, you must receive a nomination and an appointment.
