#ATAResults – Page 11 – AUSTIN TENNIS ACADEMY

Sweeney, Perim, Valenty, Chou To Compete in 6A State Tourney

When the UIL 6A Texas State High School individual tennis tournament unfolds this weekend at Texas A&M University, four ATA Academy players will take the court – all from Westlake High School.

Marcus Sweeney and Loli Perim will combine forces to try to earn a Mixed Doubles title.

AJ Valenty will compete in the Boys Doubles draw.

Roger Chou is set to battle in the Boy’s Singles draw.

With 8 entries in each draw, each will need to win 3 matches to take the State title. The players will serve it up over May 18th and 19th. Good luck to all!!

Donna Berber of Glimmer To Speak To ATA Community

Donna Berber, founder and CEO of A Glimmer of Hope Foundation, will speak to the community on Tuesday evening May 16 from 6-7pm.

“I am extremely excited and pleased to announce that we will be hosting a short speech and Q&A session with Donna Berber,” ATA CEO Jack Newman said. “It’s been a number of year’s since we had Donna speak at ATA and you will not want to miss it.”

The Austin Tennis Academy has a long standing relationship with A Glimmer of Hope Foundation and the Berber family. All three Berber children, Ryan, Shane and Jake, were members of the Academy program and Donna and Philip have been long-time advisory board members as well as multifaceted supporters of the Austin Tennis Academy. The Austin Tennis Academy has made a pledge to raise $1,000,000 for A Glimmer of Hope over 20 years.

Our current funds raised for A Glimmer of Hope are: $532,487.

The breakdown of how those funds were allocated include:

2 School Projects
A Heath Post
34 hand-dug wells
3 shallow Borehole wells
Daletti Reservoir
Gonok Deep Borehole well
Famine Relief
Microfinance loans

“A Glimmer of Hope Foundation has a unique model of helping,” Coach Newman said. “Donna is a dynamic and moving speaker. I hope you and your ATA player will plan on attending.”

ATA College Prep – Guest Speaker Series

Throughout the year, ATA College Prep brings in guest speakers who impact our students with thoughtful words of wisdom and inspiration. Often, the stories they tell spark future studies, compassion for others, and ideas for community service projects.

Recent speakers have included: Dr. Reginald Baptiste (cardiothoracic surgeon) and Mrs. Oksana Malesheva (physicist, first generation immigrant, and entrepreneur). Both shared amazing stories about how they grew into and continue to grow in their chosen life passions.

Last Wednesday in Leadership, ATACP students heard from ATA alumnus, Carla Rosenberg, as she shared some of the lessons she learned from tennis that she utilizes in her adult life as a successful entrepreneur. Listed here are her top 15 lessons.

1. Understanding winning and losing

2. Be coachable

3. Be prepared

4. Be decisive

5. You grow the most when you are uncomfortable.

6. Develop others

7. Integrity

8. The power of adjacency

9. Step up when the occasion arises

10. Produce results

11. Everything sends a signal

12. No one is perfect

13. Be flexible

14. Do the little things really well

15. Visualization

Take a look at her full speech:

Excellence is never an accident; it is always the result of HIGH INTENTION, DETERMINED EFFORT, and SKILLED EXECUTION. ~Carla Rosenberg

ATA Hosts, Coaches, Participates in USTA Early Development Camp

This past weekend, Austin Tennis Academy hosted the first Orange Ball USTA Early Development Camp of 2017. ATA coaches John Schoenmakers and Chad Loup joined other area coaches to create a collaborative environment for these Austin-area Orange Ball players. Many ATA athletes participated: Murari Ambati, Sklar Phillips, Pace Phillips, Sienna Sweeney, Anya Vikram, Tenzin Zorilla, Charles McEwan, Shaye Grant and Dane Grant.

EDC’s are a USTA Player Development National Camp Structure that aims to provide opportunities for the top U10 athletes and players in similar areas to train together.

Early Development Orange Ball Camps include a progression of themes that help with overall tennis and athletic development of the young players involved, and also include an informative and interactive parent presentation.

“The EDC is a great introduction into the Team USA training pathway of USTA player Development,” said Coach Loup. “We look forward to seeing these youngsters in our Academy one day, and even in Team USA National PD camps.”

Veteran Coach Chad Loup Joins ATA’s All-Star Coaching Staff

Austin Tennis Academy has hired veteran junior coach Chad Loup to become the latest addition to its all-star coaching staff, CEO Jack Newman announced last week.

“ATA is fortunate to have been able to hire Chad Loup, whose experiences include being a head tennis professional, a highly ranked player, as well as someone who is plugged into the Texas and USTA tennis communities,” Newman said. “His skill set will allow him to help ATA in all elements of our programs. His high energy coaching will be appreciated by any student he works with.”

Chad grew up playing competitive tennis in Humble, Texas. While studying Economics at the University of Texas, he worked for the Competitive Department of USTA Texas until 2011. Chad administered Regional Training Center Player Development Camps, as well as recruited coaches and players for USTA National Teams.

Coach Loup celebrates with ATACP’s Callie Creath during the 2016 ATA Scholarship Shootout

In 2011, Chad left the USTA to coach full time at Lost Creek Country Club, where he helped develop a junior program that was a leader in Ten and Under Tennis in Texas. Chad has served on numerous USTA Texas committees, including the Executive Committee and the Junior Tennis Council.

“I am thrilled to join the Austin Tennis Academy,” Loup said. “I have worked directly with ATA players, coaches, and parents for many years due to my involvement with USTA Player Development, as a Zonals Coach, and as a Tournament Director. Joining this team has been a wonderful transition because of my close relationships with the great staff here and the players who I have been fortunate enough to watch grow up.”

Outside of tennis and cheering for Houston pro sports teams, Chad keeps himself busy with a number of hobbies. On a weekend off, you might find Chad playing golf, seeing live music, catching a movie at the Alamo Drafthouse, trying new restaurants, camping, going to his families ranch, scuba diving, wake surfing, or just spending as much time as possible with his family and friends.

“I am so thankful for how kind and welcoming all of the ATA players and parents have already been, and I look forward to building new relationships within the community,” Chad said.

Coach Loup will work with most or all of the programs, ages and skill levels while he gets up and running at ATA.

“I plan to use my diverse tennis background to simply complement what I believe is one of the most experienced and passionate team of coaches in the country,” Loup said. “Mostly, I am looking forward to helping spread the ATA mission, and helping the players here grow as people and citizens of significance, as well as myself.”

ATA Parent & Student Meeting – The College Process

Next Tuesday evening, ATA CEO Jack Newman and ATA College Prep Director Carol Hagar will present an introduction to the college process for the student-athlete and parent. The presentation will begin at 6 pm, finishing with an open Q&A session.

“If you are the parent of a sophomore or junior who would like to play college tennis, or any high age student who is interested in learning more about how the college process works, please join us for an informational meeting,” ATA CEO Jack Newman said.

One of Austin Tennis Academy’s major goals as an organization is to help its players maximize their college choice. Academy and CP students have access to expert resources, services, and guidance to help each navigate the college recruiting and application processes.

“Each year, college-bound student-athletes should assess their goals and associated actions to determine if they are on track to lead to the desired futures,” Hagar said. “We offer educational workshops like this each year for parents and students to learn more and to ask questions about future possibilities.”

ATA has a proven track record of helping players to obtain college scholarships or to leverage their college choice. The community, led by Newman and Hagar, has earned tremendous success at helping players attend some of the most elite colleges and universities in the nation. Recent grads have gone on to Notre Dame, Princeton, Amherst, Pomona College, Claremont McKenna, University of Virginia, University of Chicago, Dartmouth as well as the Air Force and Naval Academies and several more.

We look forward to seeing you on the evening of the 28th in the ATA Fitness Center!

ATA Community Celebrates Chiu, Rodriguez, Hamilton at Signing Ceremony

The Austin Tennis Academy community came together last Wednesday evening to celebrate three ATA College Prep seniors: Abigail Chiu, Alejandro Rodriguez and Wilson Hamilton.

“This is one of ATA’s most important rituals,” ATA CEO Jack Newman said.

Newman explained that these rituals serve many purposes: they help make big changes – like transitioning to college – a little more manageable, they allow for the transmission of values and beliefs from our seniors to all of the JD and JA kids sitting up front, they contribute to the program identity, and they facilitate coordination between players, families and our community.

“I am certain that Abigail Chiu sat up here when she was very young and watched signing ceremonies, just like these kids are today,” Newman said.

The evening unfolded with the community celebrating the seniors one at a time, with a pair of coaches talking on behalf of the student, followed by a speech from each of the soon-to-be graduates. The group started with Wilson Hamilton who committed to Trinity University. Coach Luka, Wilson’s primary coach, said a few words on his behalf:

After Coach Luka’s speech and another by Coach Newman, Wilson addressed the group with his own personal message:

After Wilson signed his papers, the focus switched to Alejandro Rodriguez, who committed to the University of Chicago. Here is his message to the community:

After Alej signed his papers, Coach Dio and Coach Doug Davis spoke on behalf of Abigail Chiu, who committed to Dartmouth University. Here is Abigail’s speech to the group:

After all of the memories, thank-you’s, tears, and cheers, the community stuck around to share three cakes together – each decorated with one of the three logos of the schools celebrated throughout the evening.

For three seniors whose families all moved to Austin to be able to attend the Austin Tennis Academy, there was one common thread, one lasting sentiment in the speeches – it is the people, the community, the relationships that make the Austin Tennis Academy a special place.

“Tennis is a sport that will only take you so far, and if there is one thing I learned through the process, it’s that it is not about all of the titles you win, but rather about the people you get to experience it all with. If I think back to my happiest moments, it isn’t winning a Gold ball, it was getting to play with this amazing team,” Abigail said.

Texas Cup – ATA v Lakes – Recap, Pictures, Stories

This past weekend, ATA welcomed the Lakes Tennis Academy from the Dallas area for a Texas-Cup-style dual match. ATA came out on top 49-46 in one of the closest Texas Cups in the history of the 17-year competition.

“That was an absolutely epic weekend of competition!” Coach Brandon Davis said.

The Texas Cup format is similar to college tennis – very exciting, loud, spectator friendly tennis that feels more like a rowdy football game. The top 12 boys and girls from both academies played against each other in a round-robin format within 3 tiered groups of 4 that total 96 matches over 2 days.

Unlimited on-court coaching is allowed, with noisemakers, war paint, roaming bands of fans that impact matches like never seen in normal tennis events.

Academy, JA, JD, QS players, parents, and friends were there to support well into the evening in cold temperatures!

During Academy practice on Tuesday afternoon, the group paused for cake and ice cream after sharing positive, exciting, encouraging stories to celebrate the accomplishment.

Here are some of the highlights:

…Bottom 4 guys, Bailey, Garrett, Blaine, and Kyler, went undefeated – the first time in Texas Cup history a group goes 16-0….

…Marcus also went undefeated….

…overcoming match points that weren’t converted only to win in the third set…

…Daniela overcame two first-set losses to win twice…

‘I loved seeing Kyler go 4-0 – he really thrived in that environment.’

‘Abigail G really encouraged me and helped me pull in out when I was having a tough match.’

“I just loved the guest coaches. 1 little guy comes on to AJ’s match and at the end of the changeover says, ‘remember, it’s about having fun.’ AJ went on to win 4 straight games. I had multiple parents of those guys tell me that you guys are their real idols – that they look up to you guys, and you did a great job.”

‘You know how loud Max was on Saturday because he showed up Sunday with zero voice but still was there supporting through the last match.”

“I loved seeing our kids in uniforms – it was a sea of black and a sea of red – we were so connected – so together. It was amazing to see.”

“I am so proud of our players and coaches for all of the work and spirit they put in throughout the weekend!” Coach Davis said. “All of the credit goes to them. A truly inspiring performance by all.”

ATA To Host Lakes Tennis Academy in Texas Cup Duel

This weekend, the Austin Tennis Academy will serve it up against the Lakes Tennis Academy in a Texas Cup style match on the ATA courts.

ATA’s top 4 players will compete against the Lakes’ top 4 in a round robin, ATA’s 2nd 4 vs. Lakes’ 2nd 4 and ATA’s third 4 vs Lakes’ third 4, for a total of 96 matches. Play begins Saturday 9am.

“This is a very exciting, loud, spectator friendly tennis match that feels like a football game,” said ATA Head Coach Doug Davis. “Please come out and support the team!”

Matches will go from 9am-3-4pm on both Saturday and Sunday.

All players in QS, JD, JA, Academy and CP are encouraged to attend to support the team, even if they are not in the starting lineup.

“This should be an incredibly motivating event for our younger competitors,” Coach Jack Newman said.

CP Students Visit Public Art On UT Campus

Today, ATACP students toured the University of Texas campus to view a few public art installations recently procured by the newly developed Landmarks Division.

“I really enjoyed getting to see pieces of modern art on campus this morning,” said Alejandro Rodriguez, a senior at CP headed to UChicago in the Fall. “It was very interesting to see how sometimes, the environment around a piece of art dictates the way in which that artwork will be created. I was blown away by some of the creative displayed by the artists, who took ordinary objects and presented them in a way that creatively showcased many different attributes.”

The students saw everything from a monochromatic sculpture made from 70 canoes to unique portraits of Austinites that eventually will be installed in the Dell medical school building.

This field trip was part of a larger unit at CP focused on the purpose and meaning of public art. Soon, the students own artistic creations will be on display in and around the CP campus.

“My favorite piece was called Monochrome of Austin, and it consisted of 70 canoes, 30plus feet in the air, leaning over the street,” Alejandro said. “It was incredible.”

A few more photos from the day:

KK, Jack and Wilson discuss their favorite portraits.

The students check out the perspective from inside one of the pieces of art.

Sasha and Caroline taking in the scene together.

ATA, AGOH partner for major water project, latest step in pattern of giving back

The Austin Tennis Academy (ATA) and A Glimmer of Hope Foundation (Glimmer) recently completed a project that provides the largest solar powered water supply development in the entire region of Tigray. The project, unfolding over about 3 years, delivers 9 water points and 3 cattle troughs to the Ethiopian villagers of Gonok who previously spent hours daily collecting only contaminated water.

This is the latest from a longstanding partnership between ATA and Glimmer. Since 2005, the ATA community has contributed more than $500,000 to AGOH towards a $1 million pledge.

Above is a picture of the solar panels that power the submersible pump that pumps the water that is 90 meters below the earth up to the reservoir.

“One of the founding principles when laying the framework for the Austin Tennis Academy was that students would be exposed to a series of life lessons,” ATA CEO Jack Newman said. “One of the most important life lessons is giving back to your community and giving to those less fortunate than yourself.”

Above is the Gonok reservoir that stores and distributes the water that is pumped from the deep borehole.

The latest water supply project made an immediate impact on the lives of the local community members in Gonok. Abeba, pictured below, used to spend approximately two hours per day fetching contaminated water from an unprotected spring at the bottom of a gorge. Now, one of the 9 water points is less than 100 yards from her home where she lives with her husband and children.

Above is a photo of Abeba (“Flower”) at her water point that is located 100 yards from her home. Abeba helped Breck Spencer on his “Walk for Water” in Gonok in the summer of 2010.

Another access point brings water to the Gonok Complete Primary School (Grades 1-8).

“The water point at the school is a game changer,” said Eric Schmidhauser, Director of Philanthropy at Glimmer. “Instead of students having to bring small water containers to school filled with dirty water from the unprotected spring about 1.5 kilometers from the school, they now have clean water available at the water point with its six faucets to accommodate hundreds of thirsty students.”

Beyond clean drinking water, the students are also able to practice proper hygiene that they learn in school at the hand washing station. In addition, female students now have more time for school since they no longer have to join their mothers on the walk for water to the bottom of the gorge and back in the mornings or afternoons.

Overall, the ATA community contributed about $150,000 to this project, with nearly 2/3rds coming directly from the ATA business. While that money could have gone towards any number of upgrades in the facility, ATA’s dedication to those founding principles makes giving back a continues priority.

Above is the exterior wall of the Gonok School, which has been decorated by paintings made by the teachers to serve as educational tools.

“The most powerful way to teach someone something is to show them,” Newman said. “By making a donation to A Glimmer Of Hope we not only talk the talk but also walk the walk of that life lesson of giving back.”

For Newman personally, much of the inspiration behind this value of giving back comes from a couple of trips to Ethiopia, one before starting ATA and one a few years after.

This is the handwashing station in front of the building that houses toilets on the Gonok School campus.

“Each of those trips resulted in a greater appreciation for all of the material and immaterial benefits that I enjoy being a citizen of this country,” Newman said. “It struck me as the greatest luck of the draw to have been born here rather than there. By making a commitment to Glimmer and by helping our students understand they’re lucky place in the universe, I hope to be a part of the balancing of the universe. By helping those with the least amount of resources, basic things like water, education and basic health care, it resonates with me that I am doing what I can.”

Many ATA students have felt compelled to contribute to this and other Glimmer campaigns, starting with Josh Hagar’s launch of Playing For Glimmer in 2008. More recently, Breck and Katherine Spencer raised awareness and funds through the Walk For Water and Bake For Gonok campaigns, while many other student-athletes continue to raise money and offer support in their own creative ways.Newman is currently preparing for his third trip to Africa in the coming weeks, when he will have the chance to visit the

Newman is currently preparing for his third trip to Africa in the coming weeks, when he will have the chance to visit the Gonok village and see first hand the global change to which ATA has contributed. Fittingly, he will travel with Ryan Berber and Santiago Montoya, both ATA alums who were there over 10 years ago when the founders set this lofty goal, and who are now past tennis and focused on their own ambitious goals.

The elevated pipeline in the photo is the beginning of 8 kilometers of pipeline that brings the clean water from the deep borehole well to 9 different water points that are spread out in the communities that make up Gonok, as well as 3 cattle troughs.

“When we started the Austin Tennis Academy we made a pledge to raise $1 million over 20 years on behalf of Glimmer. Big, hairy, outrageous goals like the million-dollar pledge also says something to our students about their own goals: SHOOT HIGH.”

To those who know him best, Newman displays a steadfast focus on what is best for his students and lives that out in every aspect of his life. Maybe nobody on the planet knows him better than Donna Berber, CEO and Founder of A Glimmer Of Hope.

“Coach Newman’s continued dedication to supporting the needs of the most vulnerable in our world is integral to the community he has built at ATA emphasizing the importance of giving back. Jack’s focus on giving has been steadfast since the early years of ATA, inspiring his students to become global changemakers who have compassion for those living in abject poverty in rural Ethiopia.”

Rifkin Discusses Impact of Nutrition, Hydration and Sleep

Yesterday during Academy practice, ATA’s Josh Rifkin discussed the basics of how nutrition, hydration, and sleep give players the energy needed for training and recovery to be able to reach peak performance more consistently.

“It’s simple, if the physical and mental demands of your body are not met with the proper fuel, hydration and recovery to support what your asking of it, your energy and functioning will suffer which consequently has a major impact on the level of your tennis performance,” Rifkin said.

Take a look at his presentation below:

[embeddoc url=”http://www.austintennisacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/ATA-Nutrition-Presentation.pptx” download=”none” viewer=”microsoft”]

Hagar’s Former Student Named Rhodes Scholar

Mikaila Smith, a former homeschool student of ATA College Prep Director Carol Hagar, member of ATA College Prep in 7th and 8th grade, and a lifetime Austinite, recently earned her spot as a Rhodes Scholar.

“I have been working with (and been a fan of) Mikaila since she was about 8 years old and it didn’t take me long to determine she was my vote for a future US president,” said Hagar. “I always tell children they can do and be anything they decide to put their intention and attention toward, Mikaila always took that to heart and continues to take advantage of every opportunity that comes her way.”

Mikaila is a Presidential scholar at the University of Texas with majors in social entrepreneurship and nonprofit management and Chinese. She joins 31 other Americans from across the country who earned the Rhodes Scholar designation over thousands of applicants from more than 320 American colleges and universities.

“I take it as an incredible opportunity and responsibility,” Mikaila said. “I am more committed and determined than ever to give back to my communities, to continue to work on issues I am passionate about, and to support the people around me. I feel honored and humbled, and I take this platform and opportunity very seriously as a way to engage with the world around me and work hard to contribute to the advancement of the issues I care about.”

Mikaila has always had a passion for reading, exploring, and helping others. She is multi-lingual, has championed several philanthropic efforts, is a certified yoga instructor, and currently working in New York at the United Nations before departing to Oxford in the fall to continue her studies.

“I am so very proud of this compassionate powerhouse,” said Hagar. “I know that she will continue to develop solutions, make things happen, and positively impact our world.”

ATACP Psychology Students Present Work During Rainy Practice

The rain washed away any hope of hitting a ball this afternoon, but the Academy students and coaches were still hard at work in the fitness center. The coaches led the group through 1 hour of fitness, followed by two 30 minute presentations from ATA College Prep Psychology students Alejandro Rodriguez and Bailey Forgus.

The assignment from CP Psychology teacher Jack Newman was to present an element of positive psychology to the group using a PowerPoint and a handout.

“I thought both Alejandro and Bailey did an excellent job correlating the teachings we have learned in class with tennis, and how it can translate on the court,” ATACP senior Abigail Chiu said. “Bailey focused on happiness, and Alejandro chose mental toughness and both were presented with visual evidence that really brought interest to the entire group.”

Bailey titled his presentation Be happy with your journey, not your destination. See the slides below:

[embeddoc url=”http://www.austintennisacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Be-happy-with-your-journey-not-the.pdf” download=”all”]

Alejandro titled his presentation, Pushing Yourself. See the slides below:

[embeddoc url=”http://www.austintennisacademy.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/PushingYourselfProject.pdf” download=”all”]

“It was nice to get to showcase some of the things I had learned in class while giving my teammates some information which could help them,” Alejandro said. “It was fun talking to a larger group, I didn’t feel nervous at all and I enjoy speaking to more people. I hope to get to do that a lot in college and professionally. I think people connected with some of the content that I talked about and because my topic had a very direct correlation to tennis, I think they will be able to apply what they learned (if they choose to) pretty straightforwardly. The group was also a great audience which made it very fun to present!”

Check back later in the week to see more student presentations.

Sign Up For Winter Tennis Camp At ATA

2016 Winter Tennis Training Camps

This Winter, your child can take advantage of the Austin Tennis Academy’s Winter Camps to progress at a rapid rate. The camps are designed to provide the greatest development of your child’s physical, mental, technical, and tactical performance levels.

Dates:

December 26th, 2016 – December 30th, 2016

Times:

QuickStart Camp 9:00am – 10:30am (age 5-8)
Morning Camp 9:00am – 12:00pm (All levels)

Tournament Tough Training Camp 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Cost:

QuickStart Camp $150/week ($40/day drop-in)
Morning Camp $275/week ($80/day drop-in)

Tournament Tough Training Camp $375/week ($90/day drop-in)

Quick Start Camp

9:00am – 10:30am ($150 per week or $40 per day)
The Quick Start tennis format used by the Austin Tennis Academy gives kids the opportunity to rally a ball over the net and learn to play points as quickly as possible – all in a fun environment. Our coaches recognize the importance of starting kids off well, and with success. The ATA was instrumental in developing this groundbreaking nationwide program and served as the pilot program for the USTA. This program uses the appropriate size racquet, court and ball to allow kids to do more – faster! Suggested Age: 5-8 years old

Morning Camp

9:00am – 12:00pm ($275 per week or $80 per day)
Players will improve their game by learning fundamental skills, practicing game situations, and improving overall movement. Using the latest techniques and international innovations, players learn valuable athletic skills for tennis and other sports.

Afternoon “Tournament Tough” Camp

1:00pm-4:00pm ($375 per week or $90 per day)
Tournament players will improve their game by using competitive game situations, technical training and point play, as well as movement and flexibility training. ATA Academy players will be training at this time.

Policies

Registration must be made online.
Payment in advance is required to reserve your slot. An administrative fee of $50 will be applied for cancellations.
ATA camps are held rain or shine. Indoor sessions are held in the event of inclement weather.
No refunds or make-ups for days missed.
Weekly rate applies to that particular week only (no carryover).
Medical Release and Hold Harmless must be filled out online.
Players may leave credit card on file to cover pro shop purchases, lunch, etc.
ATA does not offer housing. Private housing may be available. Email info@austintennisacademy.com to inquire.
Prompt pick-up is expected. Early drop-off and late pick-up is available upon request for $50 per week.

4 Qualify for Champs and 2 Qualify for Superchamps!

Over the last couple of months, ATA has had 4 players qualify for champs. ATA’s youngest academy players Jacob Golden and Lucas Riezebeek qualified for boys 12s. While, Sarah Schaal G14 and Alex Sheddan B16 also both qualified.

Savannah Baptiste and Keana Moon won the Girls 14’s doubles CMZ and qualified for superchamps and earned some ice cream!

Congratulations to all the players!

Designed Learning Experiences – Surprising Stoichiometry

ATA College Prep instructors strive to develop dynamic and stimulating content that is relevant to each student. Learning experiences are designed to engage students through information while adding intellectual, creative, emotional, and physical layers. Focusing on the goals of opening students’ minds and equipping them with the tools to succeed academically, lessons address the HOW and WHY of each learning activity in addition to the WHAT. This article is the first in a series titled Designed Learning Experiences and will feature unique activities that take place within the CP classrooms.

In example, the students in Mr. Rutherford’s Chemistry class use “stoichiometry” (quantitative chemistry) to predict the amount of baking soda needed to fully neutralize a certain amount of vinegar.

Mr. Rutherford explains, “The kids did the math and then tried measuring in the amount of baking soda they predicted (Alex added it so quickly that the fizz overflowed)… and found, to their surprise, that they had predicted way, way more baking soda than necessary because they didn’t realize that “vinegar” is really mostly water and contains only a small amount of acetic acid (the active ingredient).”

Using skills of analysis, prediction, experimentation and calculation, students adjusted their math for the observed revelation, tried again, and correctly predicted the amount of baking soda that would complete the process.

“An important piece of teaching the sciences is surprise,” explained Mr. Rutherford. “By the time kids are in secondary school, they already feel like they have a pretty good intuitive sense of how the world works. Experiments and demonstrations in which something surprising happens shake them out of their complacency and allow them to feel a little wonder and mystery, which is the motivation for studying science. It’s also very satisfying for them to resolve the mystery and incorporate new information into an updated worldview, which is a decent summary of the scientific process.”

Check back in the coming weeks for more examples of the Designed Learning Experiences at ATA College Prep.

Dwayne Hultquist Visits ATA

Dwayne Hultquist Head Men’s Coach at Florida State University for the pasted 17 years visited ATA on Tuesday. He talked to the academy about what he looks for when he recruits. Recruiting is not always based on results and skill but the athlete’s character and will they fit in with the team. He talked about perks from being a college athlete (food, laundry, and equipment). What a great opportunity for academy players to receive direct info and get a chance to ask questions about college tennis from one of the most elite college coaches!

Last Year’s Seniors Check In From College

Each Fall, the previous year’s Seniors and current college Freshman send us an update of how things are going. Below, please enjoy the check in’s from Payton Holden at Princeton, Jake Berber at Claremont, Hunter Bleser at the University of Virginia, and Chase Bartlett from St. Edward’s University.

JAKE BERBER – CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE

Thinking back on my time at ATA, I can’t help from getting a smile on my face. It’s such a special place and you’ve done an incredible job at making it a place of such family. As I’m writing you from my room in Wohlford Hall, room 111, there are a few things that come to mind when I think about what I would love to tell the current players at ATA.

First of all, try your best to make life long friendships. Personally, I was blessed with an incredible class of 2016 and I consistently keep in touch with many of my fellow peers. Obviously, the tennis is unbelievable and is the reason why everyone is there, however, the people there are just as special. Take some time to worry less about how poorly you are hitting your forehand and actually ask someone how their day/week/life is going.

Second of all, try your best to get to know the coaches. They may be annoying at times but each and every one of them has an incredible story to tell. Some of my favorite tournament trips were when I was rooming with a coach because they’re all extremely interesting and smart people.

Lastly, enjoy the amount of free time that you have now. Even if you are feeling overwhelmed with school, tennis, or whatever is taking up your time, trust me, it only gets more hectic. For the last 3 weeks, I had 6-8 am practice Monday-Thursday and midterms all of last week. Start working on your time management skills now before you get to college so that you aren’t feeling as if you have negative time to work with once you get here.

Hope all is well back home,

Jake

PAYTON HOLDEN – PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

“The tennis aspect of Princeton is very tough and hectic. Practices are always super fun, loud and competitive. My practice schedule for the fall is MWF 7:15am lifts with 4-7pm practice and Tuesday Thursday practices from 1:30-3:30ish. Then on top of that, in order to receive our warm ups (Sweat pants and sweatshirts) we have to complete certain things in our free time. For instance, to earn one of our pairs of sweats we have to play 4 singles sets, 4 doubles sets and 5 extra ab workouts on our own time. As far as tournaments go, I have played 3 out the 5 fall tournaments we have scheduled this fall. College tournaments in the fall feel equivalent to matches at grand slam; technically it is an individual tournament but the cheering and support is still extremely high. One of the highlights of the fall thus far has been the ITA grass court tournament. Luckily I was able to compete against players from Michigan and TCU in the first ever collegiate grass court tournament. Overall, ATA and more specifically ATACP prepared me very well for the rigorous practice and tournament schedule, it also taught me how to manage my time on the road, which is a crucial skill to have for college tennis.

Academically it is challenging but not impossible. As long as I am diligent with my work and study consistently it isn’t too bad. This semester I am taking Spanish, Micro-Econ, Calculus and a Writing Seminar. CP classes prepared me very well for all of my classes, I feel like I know all of the pre-requisite material needed for all of my classes.

One piece of advice I would give the younger players is to really focus on doing the little things, especially when they are tired. For instance, I wish I had done all of my homework right after practice/dinner when I was still tired, because there is hardly a second here where I feel “ready” or “energized” to do work. Often I am super tired and just have to grind through it.

Well I hope everyone has a great and best of luck to everyone,

Payton”

HUNTER BLESER – UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

Hey ATA!

I am about to finish up my sixth week at school now and I just wanted to check in with yall and let you know a little bit about what college is really like and what ATA has taught me.

First off, time management is the major key component when trying to balance your academic and athletic life at school. You will not only have to schedule your days around classes and practice, but you will also have to take into consideration tutoring, conditioning, weight training, homework, etc. Those free hours that you have between classes at CP now, use them to get homework or readings done early. Make this a habit so that you when you move off into the next chapter of your life you won’t be overwhelmed.

Secondly, take advantage of CP’s environment and work on your communication skills. Professors and coaches really appreciate and idolize someone who communicates with them 24/7. Get in the habit now of “over communicating”. I promise it will help you out in the long run!

Lastly, take advantage of the advice and instruction your coaches at ATA are offering. They truly want the best for you and want to see you succeed in your endeavors. It may seem somewhat annoying now, but trust me, when you get to school, you’ll miss having them there every step of the way. The coaches and staff at ATA are truly your second family, whether you realize this or not right now. Love your family, because soon you’ll have to leave the nest and grow up.

I hope you guys are doing great! I still keep track of almost all of your results not twitter! Feel free to call, email, or text me if you guys have any questions about the college process or need some advice about anything! Can’t wait to see you guys here in a few months! Miss y’all like crazy!

Take care,
Hunter Bleser
Wahoow

CHASE BARTLETT – ST. EDWARD’S UNIVERSITY

Hey Coach,

Midterms are coming up, and since it’s almost halfway through the year I thought I would give you an update on how college life at St.Edwards has been so far. Fall semester has been interesting so far – I have changed roommates (my first roommate would get back at 4am on weeknights and wake me up, and I think he was selling drugs out of the room when I wasn’t there) and I now live with a good friend on the tennis team. Life is very similar to college-prep life. I set my alarm for 6:50am when I was in CP, and I still set my alarm at 6:50am in college. I feel like CP was a very smooth transition into a liberal-arts college – some of my classes are around 14 students, which is actually pretty similar to Coach Tommy’s English class. Additionally, the content is similar; this year there is an emphasis on community, which is really similar to CP’s focus on what it means to be a good citizen.

I’m not going to say that I find St. Edwards easy – I find it very challenging actually – but, I do think that it is do-able. I’m pretty happy with my choice of school; I think that going to a different school just because of a brand-name diploma would have been a bad choice, because the work load here is hard enough already and because I can’t imagine how much of a “better education” would be possible. I have a 4.0GPA so far, and have worked very hard to do so (I study between 3-5 hours daily). I get assigned about 8 writing assignments per week, and about 200 pages of readings. It seems like a lot, but when you get in college and you HAVE to do your work to get A’s, you figure out that there is a lot of time in the day that usually goes to unimportant things.

Tennis is good; the guys on the team are a lot of fun to be around, and Coach Strecker cares a ton about us and our program, which I think is the most important thing for a coach to have. Fall season was okay for me and for our team, I won one tournament in singles and doubles, but had to pull out of one because I had some sort of virus which lasted a week, and I went into regionals without having trained more than once. I’ve seen the level of competition though – I definitely belong here and have a strong shot at winning regionals next year. Training is interesting though, we are only allowed 25-something days of official practice (which means that we have been doing a ton of running and a ton of lifting). I have probably only spent 6 hrs on court for the past week or two, which is tough. I would tell anyone who is in CP right now to enjoy court time and have fun with it, because it’s much more pleasant to play tennis for 5 hours a day than to run until you throw up or write papers until your eyes hurt.

Overall, school has been good. I’m pretty happy with my choice so far, and hopefully I can hold on to my 4.0 through midterms!

Hope you are doing well and that everything is going well at the academy.

Chase Bartlett

College Prep Students Entered In Children’s Business Fair

The Kids in Business class at ATA College Prep introduces students to entrepreneurial practices and processes, business and marketing plans, and allows them to develop their own products for sale. Implemented through project-based learning, students have free-reign of choice and are guided by exploration and careful questioning to redirect.

“Project-based learning is a powerful and enjoyable way to develop metacognitive skills – such as confidence, decision-making, self-regulation, and autonomy – which are known to increase motivation and self-directed learning,” said ATACP Director Carol Hagar.

Products and businesses designed by entrepreneurial CP students:

JAK’S

JAK’S creates colorful spin art on vinyl records. You can design your own by picking your colors or buy a colorful record that is already made. Also, vinyl record bowls will be for sale. They make great pots for succulents! Come help support Austin Pets Alive and get homemade dog treats!

-Jordan, Abigail and Keana

SCS Designs

SCS Designs makes handcrafted colorful decor for your home. We have a variety of decorated letters that you can hang or stand up, painted canvases with inspirational words and coasters with colorful designs. Come out and help us support A Glimmer of Hope with each purchase made!

-Sasha, Caroline and Sydney

ATACP students Abigail, Sasha, Sydney, Jordan, Keana and Caroline invite YOU to visit and shop their stores this Saturday at the Children’s Business Fair at Pease Mansion, 1606 Niles Road, Saturday, October 25th 10:00am – 12:30pm.

Please come out and show your support for this entrepreneurial event. The students have designed, created and will be marketing unique products. You will be amazed!

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