Community – Page 7 – AUSTIN TENNIS ACADEMY

The Scholarship Shootout

Can you believe it?!? The 2019 Scholarship Shootout is just about here and we’ve got some really cool stuff going on leading up to, as well as during the event, that we want to make sure you know about.

First up: Tomorrow evening (Thursday, October 24) from 6:00 – 6:30, we will be doing a Live Stream giving a preview of all the items up for auction this year. In fact, you can even drop in to check out everything in person. We will be set up in the ATA gym. If you can’t stop by, then watch the Live Stream on either the ATA FaceBook page or the ATA YouTube Channel. Coach Jack Newman and Carol Hagar will be hosting the Auction Preview Live Stream.

Then on Friday night, for the first time ever, we will do a Live Stream from the Player Party. That Live Stream starts at 7:00 PM and will last the duration of the event. Again, you can watch the Live Stream on either the ATA FaceBook page or the ATA YouTube Channel. Even if you can’t attend, you’ll be able to hear and see what’s going on, including the coveted list of who’s playing on which teams this year for the tournament.

Saturday is when all the action on court takes place for the Calcutta tournament going on at ATA. And yep, we’ll will be doing a Live Stream courtside from one of the showcase courts, and Coach Doug Davis will be one of our commentators! That Live Stream begins at 9:00 am Saturday and will last until the last match is over. Again, you can watch the Live Stream on either the ATA FaceBook page or the ATA YouTube Channel.

Finally, we’ve also added the ability to make donations on-line and hope this is handy for people who want to contribute, but can’t attend The Shootout. Thanks in advance for helping make this year’s event a success!

Coach Newman Shares His Insights on Junior Tennis

The Parenting Aces Podcast got an early start in the world of podcasting when its creator, Lisa Stone, was trying to find information on how to help her son reach his goal of playing high-level tennis. Nearly 10 years later, she’s still gathering information and advice to share with other tennis parents.

Not long ago, Stone’s search led her to Austin Tennis Academy’s Owner and CEO, Coach Jack Newman. Their discussion became the latest episode – When 1 Teaches, 2 Learn – released earlier this week. Here’s what Stone tweeted about the interview: I love interviewing jr tennis coaches & learning their philosophies, not only about on-court development but also off-court. Jack Newman is 1 coach who really seems to get it.

As you may know, Coach Newman recently started his own podcast, Double Bagel, and said it was interesting to be on the other side… the one being interviewed. To hear Coach Newman’s episode on Parenting Aces, click here.

ATA’s Scholarship Shootout to serve up plenty of food, forehands and FUNdraising

There are plenty of exciting events held during the fall around Austin, and the ATA Pro-Am Scholarship Shootout is among them. This will be the 19th year for the annual fundraiser, which will be held October 25-26.

The Shootout is a Calcutta doubles tournament which brings together ATA’s patrons, students, and coaches for a day of fun and friendly competition. There will be a number of alum (names to be released soon) who return to play in the Shootout as well. The event also includes a silent auction, live auction, and a team auction.

All money raised during the two-day event benefits Austin Athletic Scholarship Foundation, a 501(c)3 which supports dedicated and deserving student athletes in their quest to achieve excellence through the sport of tennis and in life.

If you are not able to attend the Shootout, and would like to make a one-time donation, or become a perpetual donor, click here. Thank you in advance for helping today’s dreamers become tomorrow’s visionaries.

ATA Player Becomes USTA Section Essay Winner

Adrianna Peradoza won the 2019 Arthur Ashe NJTL Essay Contest in the G15-16 level of the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section. Perdoza competed in that section prior to her family moving to Austin and becoming members of the Austin Tennis Academy family. Her younger brother, Adrian, was the B11-12 Section Winner.

The question for the essay was, “This year marks the 50th anniversary of NJTL. What specific impact do you hope your chapter can make in your community today that you would want remembered 50 years from now?”

The NJTL Essay Contest is a widely acclaimed educational tool. NJTL participants are asked to write essays answering a thought-provoking question requiring research and analysis. Thousands of entries are received each year and 10 national winners (one boy and one girl from each age group) receive an all-expense paid trip to New York City to participate in Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day at the US Open and to accept their awards at the NJTL Essay Awards Luncheon.

The National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) network is a nationwide network of community tennis organizations seeking to develop the character of young people through tennis and education.

National Recognition for One of Coach Newman’s Former Students

Sports Business Journal named Carla Rosenberg one of its 2019 Game Changers. This annual honor is given to women setting the standard and leading the next generation in sports business. Rosenberg is among 40 women who make up this year’s Game Changers class.

Rosenberg is a pioneer in the business of creating nonprofit foundations and charity events for star athletes. She is Senior Vice President, Charity Events and Management at Lagardere Plus. Rosenberg remains an active member of the ATA community.

ATA Alum To Compete In ITA All-American Championships

Princeton Senior (and ATA alum) Payton Holden is one of three members of Princeton’s men’s tennis team selected to take part in the ITA All-American Championships coming up in October in Tulsa, OK.

Holden qualified for the main doubles draw, as well as the qualifying singles draw. The qualifying singles competition will begin October 7, while main doubles play will begin October 9. This will be Holden’s first trip to the ITA All-American Championships.

Congratulations Payton!

WTA Player Returns Home To ATA To Coach

The Austin Tennis Academy is excited to announce the addition of one of its alums, who spent the past 10 years playing on the WTA pro circuit, to the ranks of full-time coach in our programs. Ashley Weinhold trained at ATA as a junior player, as well as a pro player.

“No ATA student has been as clear about their goal from an early age as Ashley Weinhold,” said Coach Jack Newman, CEO and Owner of Austin Tennis Academy. “Her number one goal from the age of eight years old was to be a professional tennis athlete. She maintained clarity about that goal throughout her junior tennis career, and then applied the work ethic necessary to reach it. Her professional attitude and drive started early. The end result was to become top 200 in singles, top 100 in doubles and to compete in the game’s biggest stage: the Grand Slams.”

Spending a decade on the tour after reaching the pinnacle in junior tennis, winning the USTA’s G18’s Hard Court Nationals, translates into a wealth of experience, knowledge, and standards Weinhold says she’s excited to impart on players at ATA. “My standards might be a little different than everyone’s standards just because of the world I’ve been around,” said Weinhold. “There are things I like to hold people accountable for – things like footwork, your effort, your attitude, and hold players to a certain standard that you can’t get away with certain things, even if you’re playing college tennis your college coach isn’t going to want to see. I might be hard some times on the the players, but I hope later in life they realize it was because I care and it was good for them.”

While she admits it’s going to take a little bit to get used to stepping on the court as a coach not a player, Weinhold feels blessed to be making her coaching debut at a place she calls home.

Click here if you would like to know more about Ashley.

Nico Jamison Featured in Article by USTA Intermountain Colorado

WRITTEN BY: USTA CO HQ

It’s been said that the apple doesn’t fall from the tree, and in the case of 5-star recruit, Nico Jamison (Nicholas Jamison III), the tennis ball doesn’t fall far from the family tennis tree.

Well-known in tennis circles for his competitive AND courteous nature, the 15-year-old, who attends Frontier Academy in Greeley (which doesn’t have a tennis team), will most likely play for Greeley West High School. Nico’s father, Nicholas Jamison II, also played there and won a state title.

Nico finished 4th in singles and won doubles at the Intermountain Sectional Level 3 that was in Denver in June. He has competed strongly in a number of national events, collecting dozens of wins and numerous podium finishes (top-6). He was also the 2018 USTA Colorado Boys Sportsmanship Award Winner.

Having tried many sports as a younger child, including hockey, baseball and soccer, Nico said tennis was the only sport he had a true interest in.

Describing himself as a stronger doubles player than singles player, his appreciation for the camaraderie and friendship side of tennis comes through clearly when asked about where it comes from in him to be so competitive, while also being recognized for his strong sportsmanship.

“It comes from being able to know when you are on the court it’s time to compete”, he said. “Be a humble winner- it’s your time to shine, your time to find a way to win. But off the court it’s time to be friends with other players.”

Nico lights up when talking about his tennis friends including but not limited to Lawrence Li, (his frequent doubles partner), Andy Schuiling , Valerie Negin, Hardy Owen, Caden Hasler, and Adam Kartzinel. He also appreciates the hard work and commitment of coaches, Austin Mayo and Jack Newman.

In fact, his favorite moment ever on the court came last year at the quarter finals of winter nationals winning an extremely tight match doubles match with Li, closing it out with a serve and put away volley.

“That was a great moment for both of us,” Nico said.

Planting the sportsmanship seed early in his life, mother Jennifer Jamison, who came from a dance background taught Nico to “respect the court, respect your equipment and most of all, respect the opportunity you’ve been given to play the game.”

“Nico loved working really hard,” she said. “He had the drive and the self-motivation to allow us to support him in his goals.”

Supporting him meant committing as a family to the time, tournaments, and coaches needed to get to the next level.

Entering into his freshman year of high school, Nico relays a maturity beyond his years, talking about why some players have poor sportsmanship.

“I think that can happen when the desire to win in tennis is just too big,” he said. In that case, there are probably better options for you.”

He also explains that it’s not just what you do on the tennis court that helps get you to the next level.

“The results do not just appear. The results appear after weeks, months, and sometimes years of hard work on and off the court, Nico said.

New Service For ATA’s CP and Academy Players

The Austin Tennis Academy is pleased to announce the addition of health care services to all college prep and academy players starting August 1, 2019. We have teamed with Texas State University’s Department of Health and Human Performance to contract one graduate assistant athletic training student. This new addition will allow us to provide multi-disciplinary care to our student-athletes in injury management and collaborate with the current professionals at the academy on sport performance.

Athletic trainers (ATs) are highly qualified, multi-skilled health care professionals who collaborate with physicians to provide preventative services, emergency care, clinical diagnosis, therapeutic intervention and rehabilitation of injuries and medical conditions. Athletic trainers work under the direction of a physician as prescribed by state licensure statutes. Athletic training is recognized by the American Medical Association, Health Resources Administration, and the Department of Health and Human Services as an allied health care profession. For more information on athletic training please visit this link.

Woocheol Choung will join our team in August 2019. He has two bachelor’s degrees: Bachelor of Science in Health & Human Fitness Management from Woosong University in Daejoen, Korea and a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Weber State University in Ogden, UT. While working part time as a graduate assistant with the Austin Tennis Academy, he will be pursing his Master of Science in Athletic Training from Texas State University. He will work under the direction of a licensed physician in Austin, Texas. Details on the physician Woocheol will be collaborating with will be sent in a future email.

The addition of these new medical services calls for all College Prep students to complete a pre-participation evaluation form. Each student-athlete will need to have an annual physical dated after April 30^th, 2019. The physical form (click here for the 2019 physical form) must be completed prior to the first day of school in August. All academy players participating in after school tennis can provide the physical form specific to your independent school district. Academy players should also turn in a physical form to ATA prior to the start of the Fall semester.

Junior Team Tennis Registration – Info

Dear ATA Parents and Players,

Junior Team Tennis Spring season is quickly approaching! JTT is an awesome opportunity for players to compete within a team environment, set goals, be exposed to challenging competition, receive on-court coaching and play for something greater than individual merit. Teams are based on age and development level. It is a perfect first competitive experience for JD and QuickStart players (there is even an 8&U Red Ball division) who have never played tournaments and it is a valuable vehicle for more experienced players to work on various areas of their game. League winners in several levels will represent Austin at the state tournament this May 18-19 in Midland, TX.

The last several seasons have seen multiple ATA teams represented in the state championship as well as the national championships. ATA has won 5 national JTT championships over the past few years and also dozens of state titles!

FAQs

Schedule? Tentative start of the season is February 17th. Matches are played Sunday afternoons and consist of 8 game pro sets (2 sets to 4 in 10U divisions). A typical day begins with a warm-up 30 minutes prior to start time and matches last for approximately two and a half hours. Players should plan to stay through the end of the match and support their teammates. Half of the matches are played at ATA and the other half at the opponent’s sites in Austin.

Commitment? Teams consist of 4-8 players who must commit to playing a majority of the matches. If an occasional conflict arises, it is imperative to communicate with the coach to prevent a default. We schedule JTT matches best we can to not conflict with Challenger, Champ and Superchamp tournaments. For each match, teams are assigned a coach/academy player. There have been times when coaches are traveling and academy players are in tournaments and we may ask the help of a parent.

Cost? $150 for the season and players must be a current member of the USTA or be willing to register. Become a member online at www.usta.com and click on membership. Fee of $20/year includes access to all USTA tournaments, leagues and a subscription to various tennis publications. Any player 10 & Under who needs to register for the first time gets a FREE membership!

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the number of matches per season, because it depends upon how many teams in the city register and how well the team does.

HOW TO REGISTER

Please reply to our JTT Coordinator, Coach Carrie at carrie.kalapala@austintennisacademy.com to register or if you have any questions. Coach Carrie will be putting teams together and players need to sign up by Feb 1st, if you would like your son/daughter to be part of JTT. Schedules will go out after JTT captains meeting on February 11th. Please include when signing up player’s level (See below), birthdate, and USTA membership number. Player must be eligible in their age bracket until the end of the season May 31st.

Levels:

USTA Ratings

8U Red Ball

10U Orange Beginner

10U Orange Intermediate (Plays challengers)

10U Green

12U Green ball

12U 1.9 & Below

12U 2.4 & Below

14U 2.4 & Above

14U 2.9 & Below

14U 3.4 & Below

18U 2.9 & Below

18U 3.4 & Below

21st Annual Little Mo Nationals – Information, Schedule

Welcome to the Austin Tennis Academy! We are excited to host the 21st Annual “Little Mo” Nationals Sept 28-Oct 1 hosted right here at ATA.

Feel free to check here throughout the event for up-to-date information.

Tournament site on TennisLink

2018 Opening Ceremony schedule – Austin Tennis Academy

3:00-3:50 Players hit on ATA courts

3:55 Players move to courts 3&4 area for photos by age division and group photo

4:45 Parents leave to go to court 9 area, kids stay to line-up

5:00-5:10 Players parade and flag procession, music – Olympic theme, Rocky, We are the Champions and say their name

5:10 Welcome to “Little Mo” Nationals – Doug

5:12 National Anthem – Claire Ashton

5:14 America the Beautiful – Claire Ashton

5:16 General Prayer – Cindy Brinker Simmons

5:18 MCB – Carol Weyman

5:21 Guest Speaker – Cindy Brinker Simmons

5:40: Tournament referee – Vickie Wright

5:43 ATA – Doug Davis

5:48 Cowboy Doug – Entertainment “Texas style”

6:10 Tournament Director -Brian Notis – Parting Words
Ceremony should end approx. 6:10 pm.

Upcoming Schedule, Events Around ATA

The school year is winding down, the weather is heating up, and Texas Sectionals ‘Summer Grand Slam’ is only a few short weeks away. Students at ATA College Prep and elsewhere are busy taking exams, giving final presentations, and putting finishing touches on papers. At the same time, they are logging crucial practice hours in preparation for the biggest junior tournament in Texas tennis.

While a rich and varied time of year for parents, student-athletes, and staff alike, it is also very full! So, here is some information to help keep track of what is happening around ATA.

MAY 28 – Memorial Day – NO CLASSES AT ATA COLLEGE PREP

MAY 29-31 – FINALS WEEK AT ATA COLLEGE PREP

JUNE 4 – ATA COLLEGE PREP GRADUATION – Check the ATA website for more details soon!

JUNE 7 – ATA END-OF-YEAR ACADEMY AWARDS PARTY (5-9pm) – RSVP to Liss Weinhold at lisa.weinhold@austintennisacademy.com

JUNE 4-8 – SUMMER GRAND SLAM TENNIS CAMP (superchamp only)

JUNE 11 – THE FIRST OF 9 WEEKS OF TENNIS CAMPS BEGIN AT ATA – Camps for all ages and levels begin this week. Click the link above to learn more!

See you at the courts!

Chinese Language, Arts and Cooking Summer Camps at ATACP

ATA College Prep will host Chinese Language, Arts and Cooking Summer Camps this June and July, provided by Westlake Chinese Academy. The purpose of these camps is to provide an immersive Chinese learning environment for students ages 4-16.

Sessions:

June 18 – June 22

June 25 – June 29

July 9 – July 13

Schedule:

Full-day camp: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Morning camp: 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Afternoon camp: 12:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Late pick-up available from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. at additional cost: $20 per person per day

Tuition: * (including art supplies and cooking materials)

Full Day Camp: $345/week

Morning/Afternoon Camp: $195/week

More Information: http://westlakechineseacademy.org/camp/

Registration: http://westlakechineseacademy.org/camp/

ATACP Alumni Check In – Grayson Broadus On Clinching Matches at Notre Dame

Hello ATA community,

Coach Newman asked me to share what it is like to be in a situation to clinch a match when you are the last match on. For starters, I would like to say that there is really no experience like it before college. It is a privilege as well as a responsibility to be in this situation. My sophomore year I was quite inexperienced as well as immature. I lost two matches that were the last match on so this is a lesson I learned the hard way. The feeling of disappointment is way worse than after any other match you have lost in your career. You have to watch the other team storm the court and wait to shake hands until they are done celebrating. You have also just lost the match for your team and it feels like it is all your fault that the team lost. You have just let down your teammates who are also your closest friends and have worked so hard alongside you day in and day out.

Luckily, this year has been a completely different story. I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to redeem myself. I have clinched two matches being the last match on. These situations were even more difficult because they were against the two teams that I have choked against. This added a lot more stress in the moment because the teams were chanting “just like last year” when I had match points and lost. When people are screaming this at you in between every point it is impossible not to think about when you choked. I had to constantly push the replays of some atrocious mistakes out of my head.

The only way to thrive in the situation is to absolutely embrace the situation. You have the opportunity to be the hero and live the dream of clinching a massive match. In order to do this, you must embrace the moment and externalize rather than internalize. The great part about being on a team is you have 13 other guys you can share with in between every point to get in the right frame of mind. It is absolutely essential to celebrate every point you win by sharing with your teammates. Once you have the right energy and mindset it becomes purely about trusting yourself and your game style. You can’t evaluate yourself on whether you won or lost the last point, rather you have to focus on having a plan for how you want to play each point and be excited to execute that plan over and over again. When you do this, you usually end up on the winning side and that moment when you win is the greatest feeling you will ever experience. That moment when you clinch and watch your teammates run at you and dogpile you is unparalleled. I will remember those moments for the rest of my life.

I would say one of the most valuable skills I learned at ATA were the moments before practice when we would listen to Dr. Valverde tapes. I wish I had taken those moments a bit more seriously and hadn’t slept through them so frequently…. When I get super tight I mutter under my breath “total trust” and remember the funny way Dr. Valverde would say “trust.” Then I take a deep breathe and remind myself how I want to play the next point kind of like how you are supposed to imagine yourself playing points during an alpha…

Good luck to everyone in their next tournament and college careers!

-Grayson

ATACP Guest Speaker Series: Michelle Segovia Talks Organ Donation

As part of the ATA College Prep Guest Speaker Series, Michelle Segovia, Communications Director from the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (TOSA), recently spoke to CP students about saving lives through organ transplants.

“Our (TOSA’s) mission is to save lives through the power of organ donation,” Michelle said. “None of this is possible without the generosity of our donors and their families who are able to see beyond their grief to give life to others.”

Mrs. Segovia’s presentation offered convincing facts, like how 1 person can save 8 lives through organ donation, and that 35 percent of Americans are currently registered as organ donors. She also talked through many misconceptions about organ donation, shared success stories, and answered questions from the group.

“I hope that you are all encouraged to register your decision to donate but also that you’d talk to your family and friends about the decision to register as well,” Segovia said in closing.

To learn more, head over to DonateLifeTx.org. You can visit the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance website by clicking here.

Pictures From The Annual Walk For Water Event At ATA

The Austin Tennis Academy players, parents, and coaches participated in the annual Walk For Water event on the ATA campus yesterday afternoon as part of the 2017 Playing For Glimmer campaign.

The group carried jerry cans full of water on a course around the facility designed to mimic what women and girls in rural Ethiopia do daily to fetch water, oftentimes walking for hours on much tougher terrain carrying 40-pounds at a time.

After the walk, the group came together to watch a short video on ATA alum Breck Spencer, who traveled to Ethiopia and experienced the actual walk for water:

Breck and Donna’s Walk for Water | March 7, 2012 from A Glimmer of Hope on Vimeo.

Many ATA students have created their own campaigns to help contribute to the overall ATA effort. After watching the video, Coach Newman encouraged all students to get involved in some way.

Learn more about the overall Playing For Glimmer Campaign here. Scroll down to view all of the student campaigns.

Below is a gallery of pictures from the 2017 Walk For Water at ATA.

Gallery Notice : Images have either not been selected or couldn't be found

Alumni Updates: Meghan O’Malley Checks In From U.S. Naval Academy

Greetings from Annapolis and the US Naval Academy! I hope that you and the entire ATA community are doing well!

We are in the midst of Beat Army Week – it’s a fun, intense week full of crazy pranks and “spirit missions” in the middle of the night, all leading up to the game on Saturday in Philadelphia. The game represents an exciting day for Navy and Army Football as well as our country.

I’ve been pretty busy these past 18 months! My Academy experience started on I-Day in June 2016, with Plebe Summer – six weeks of the most strenuous physical and mental training I had ever encountered. As tough as it was, I felt prepared because of my time at ATA. I took with me the mental training tools I learned from our ATA coaches and practiced on the court.

As tough as Plebe summer was, my Plebe Academic year (or Freshman Year) was tougher. I balanced taking 20 credit hours with military and tennis team requirements. Academics at the USNA are very challenging and like nothing I’d ever experienced. My first week of chemistry covered what I experienced during an entire semester in high school. The focus is on math and science, and while I’m a Political Science major, I still must take 4 semesters of chemistry, physics, and calculus. Midshipmen are required to graduate in four years so typically midshipmen take 18-20 credit hours each semester. There are no breaks for athletes.

Playing tennis for the Navy is a dream come true, but where it was my focus in high school, it is now a very small part of my overall Academy experience. Our practices are much shorter than other teams primarily because of the military and academic requirements. I’ve come to appreciate what the coaches at ATA always told us. Playing tennis is a privilege and I am fortunate to be able to this as well as my experience at ATA and College Prep to prepare me for life beyond tennis. I use the lessons I’ve learned on the tennis court to position me to achieve success in all aspects of my life.

Military requirements are a huge part of my Academy life. Not only do I take classes like navigation and seamanship, but I have real military duties like standing watch, marching in parades, and training exercises. During my Plebe (freshman) Year, I was at the con of a Naval Vessel, sailing in the Chesapeake Bay.

Last summer, I spent a month on the USS Normandy, a navy cruiser in our Atlantic Fleet. I lived and worked among enlisted men and women and saw first-hand the dedication and hard work required to keep our Navy strong. I learned that a Navy ship can be a very complex and dangerous place to work and if I am to lead in our fleet effectively, I must understand, respect, and appreciate even the lowest ranking members of our Navy. Their success will determine my success, and more importantly, keep us safe in dangerous situations.

As for life as Midshipman, I am part of the USNA student body, called the Brigade of Midshipman. I am part of a company, and I will live on a floor with my company mates for all four years of my time here. We are a team, accountable as a group to each other and to the entire student body of Midshipmen. If one person makes a mistake, we are all punished. We take care of each other and the bonds we have formed are stronger because of it. This year, I have a leadership role in my company which has been a tremendous learning opportunity for me.

As I think back to the last 18 months, I know that I would not be here if it weren’t for ATA. I remember sitting down with Coach Newman when I was accepted to ATA’s Academy program as a 10-year-old. He talked to me about dreaming big and working hard. Those two things enabled me to be here. I think back to all of my lessons with Coach Doug, Coach Kendall, and the teachers at CP. I carry so many lessons with me. Believing that I belong is huge. It’s important to get the little things right. Doing the right thing matters – even when it’s hard, even when no one is watching. Here I’ve had to work harder than I’ve ever worked.

To the players of ATA, I have some advice. Appreciate each moment you are there, even the times that are tough. Challenge yourself as it will prepare you for the next steps in life. Appreciate and commit to your journey. Define success, don’t let success define you. Take care of your teammates. Wear the ATA shirts with pride; they represent that you are part of something greater than yourself. Dream Big.

Go Navy! Beat Army!!

Meghan O’Malley

Alumni Updates: Marcus Sweeney Checks In From Wesleyan

Dear Coach Newman and ATA,

I hope that the past months have treated everyone well. I have been doing my best to follow along with tournament results, practice MVP’s, and of course college commitments from ATA players online. Very exciting! As for my tennis, the fall tennis season ended a few weeks ago, so now we are in the offseason. What this means is that coaches are not allowed to supervise or run practice from now until we return in January. However, with strong senior leadership and a very ambitious team, it is expected that we play tennis indoors 5 times a week, whether it be full team sessions or in smaller groups, and to be in the gym 4-5 times a week as well. My classes require a lot of hard work and a couple hours of TA (teacher’s assistant) sessions every week to complete the workload, but I am enjoying it nonetheless. At the moment, I am on track to graduate with a double major in Economics and Physics, with a concentration in Government. I am also writing this email to answer some questions that Coach Newman gave to my fellow graduates and me. Coach Newman asked each of us,

What would I have done differently as a junior tennis player to be more ready for college?

What are the things that are most surprising about college and college tennis?

What advice would you give junior tennis players in preparation for college tennis/ for college in general?

As a junior player, I believe that having played many times within a team environment has been very beneficial to my collegiate readiness. Whether it be high school tennis, a team competition on a Friday, or TEXAS CUP!!!, everyone should be making conscious efforts to encourage their team members. It was astounding to me the number of top 10 nationally ranked division three teams that are extremely below average in supporting their teammates while playing tournament matches. Another major thing I realized shortly after beginning team practices and private lessons in college is that ATA has an extremely knowledgeable coaching staff. As a junior player, I wish that I had more often communicated with my coaches about slight things to work on within my game, so as to have the utmost clarity of my strengths, weaknesses, tactics, and areas to improve upon heading into college.

What is most surprising about college for me, aside from how complicated a washing machine is, is that now more than ever, you get out exactly what you put in. The extra amounts of responsibility and freedom are both a blessing and a curse- it is imperative that you find time to complete your schoolwork before choosing to go out to party on a weekend (not that I do this of course). College is full of distractions, and at an institution such as Wesleyan, you cannot afford to get behind in your studies. So far, I feel that I’ve done a great job with staying on top of my academics, and I’m even more excited for what lies ahead. As for college tennis, I have been very surprised at how amazing our team culture has been here. It was very surprising to me at our fall tournaments how much more connected we seemed than the other schools there. If we were between matches at a tournament, we were expected to actively cheer on our teammates and represent ourselves well. I believe we won many close matches against some amazing players from other schools due to the fact that our player had unrelenting support with each point.

For junior players preparing for college tennis or college in general, I would advise that you make the most of your time at ATA, which has an incredible culture of players coaches and staff that will effectively prepare you for college responsibilities & the highest level of collegiate tennis. I also must stress the importance of being very proactive with your communication towards college coaches- replying quickly to emails (I’m aware of the irony in this situation) and making it clear that you are very interested in the school and tennis program is something that college coaches love to hear and it will separate you from the other recruits. If you are ever unsure of what to say, you can always reach out to the ATA coaches or ATA alumni such as myself for help.

I am beyond content with my college selection, and could not be more thankful for the support from everyone throughout my junior career and now into my collegiate one.

Best regards, and would love to hear from you!

Marcus Sweeney

Alumni Updates: Alej Rodriguez Checks In From UChicago

Hi Coach Newman,

I hope everyone at ATA is well. Here is a quick update in response to your question on the transition from junior player to college athlete.

To begin with, the freedom one is given in college is much different than the freedom one has as a high school student. Accountability is placed solely on you for virtually every aspect of life, whereas in high school adult figures play a role in most day to day activities you partake in. Because there is no longer a parent or teacher making sure you are doing what you need to do, it is very important to learn how to prioritize your assignments and schedule them accordingly. For this reason, I would advise younger students to find ways to plan their day such as using calendar apps or day planners, as this is a very useful skill to have in college.

In terms of the practice environment, the transition to college from ATA has been very easy. Similar to ATA, the emphasis revolves around improvement as a team and everyone is very encouraging to those they are practicing with. The main difference is that this encouragement is more verbal than at ATA, and I would urge current ATA players to start practicing this type of engagement with those on their court as well as those on courts around them. Every collegiate practice is loud from start to finish, and it is important that you can contribute to that type of atmosphere comfortably and confidently.

I have felt very prepared to face the challenges that arise throughout college life due to my time at ATA and ATA CP, and I am confident current players will feel the same once they begin their collegiate journey.

Best wishes to everyone in the ATA community.

Sincerely,

Alejandro Rodriguez

Alumni Updates: CP’s Chase Bartlett Checks In From St. Ed’s

Coach Newman,

I hope that both you and the rest of the ATA community are doing well. I am emailing you just to give a brief update on how my third semester at St. Edward’s University has gone thus far.

It has been a busy semester, to say the least. I have been taking 18 credit hours but it has been very manageable; I have still hung on to the 4.0. In fact, I’m upset that I still have a 4.0. As busy as I have been the past year, I am growing frustrated and concerned that I am wasting my time as a student-athlete if I do not allow myself to fail. I have become more committed to growing as a person, which I think is only possible if I challenge myself to fall beyond what I am capable of. With that being said, I have decided to attempt to double major in Theology and English and I have picked up a German minor as well. In hopes of completing this, I am planning to study abroad in German this coming summer.

As far as tennis is concerned, I have also seen some improvement. My time at ATA this summer helped me improve a lot. To speak in tennis language, I think my UTR went up at least half a point in the three tournaments that I played. Unfortunately, I had two absolutely heartbreaking losses in Regionals—I worked extremely hard to prepare myself to win that tournament and I ended up losing close matches in the quarterfinals of both singles and doubles. It served as a reminder for me that it is all about the process and not the result; as a player, I prepared the best I could and even did the best job controlling the things that I could control at regionals itself, it just wasn’t enough. It was out of my control. I think I am currently ranked in singles and no. 3 in doubles in the region.

Outside of tennis and school, I have gotten involved in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and am one of the two representatives of the tennis team. While I first joined for the intent of having it on my résumé, I am now considering getting more involved in it and trying to make a difference in how the teams at St. Edward’s University interact with each other and how we can impact our community.

As I write, I am in Washington D.C. at the National Student-Athlete Leadership Forum. Out of all three divisions, there are about 460,000 student-athletes in NCAA competition, and only 300 get invited. I am the only athlete from St. Edward’s to attend this year (and I believe that there is only one other baseball player who came from my conference). I have gotten to meet some of the best leaders from the biggest conferences like PAC 12 and Big Ten, as well as many of the leaders from lesser known schools in the country. Let me just say—being a good leader has absolutely nothing to do with your athletic ability. There is nothing that differentiates these students in any way.

I am here until Sunday evening, but if there is anything I have learned thus far it’s that good leaders do NOT have to be good at everything. They do, however, need to be great at doing what they do well. Each of the students I have met this weekend has values that are different than mine and they are proficient in different areas; biologically, their minds work differently and their personalities give them different strengths. However, that is unimportant because they are all exceptional leaders in their own ways. Each and every one of them maximizes what they are good at, and it’s never about them—it’s always about their team and their community. I’m sure I’ll be taught many more lessons over the next few days and I hope to bring them back to my team and the other teams at St. Eds in some way or another.

Regards

Chase Bartlett

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