Community college, then 4 year school?

andromeda · 05-07-2013, 01:52 PM

My son has a LOT of learning disabilities along with Tourette's Syndrome and ADHD. He is supposed to be entering 9th grade but is 2 years behind in math right now. He can read on grade level, has college level spelling, but 5th grade level comprehension. Basically, he's all over the map. Our neuropsychologist told me she thinks he has a brain injury from birth trauma, which is highly likely because when he was born he wasn't breathing and had nerve damage on the right side of his face.

Anyway, he is a fantastic tennis player. Top 200 in the country in the boys 14s(3 star recruit on tennis recruiting). His coach used to coach Div 1 tennis until the mens' program got killed a few years ago. He thinks our son has Div 1 ability and talent.

Unfortunately, I don't think my son has the academic outlook for Div 1. I'm not sure he could handle that kind of academic load as well as play that high level of tennis. I have been thinking of having him do 2 years of junior college and then transfer in to a Div 2 school to finish a degree(if he wants to, of course). What is the possibility of that being a good path for some tennis kids? He could play rec or adult tournaments here and possibly community college tennis, as well. He could see how things go and then tryout for a higher level school, right?

ClarkC · 05-07-2013, 03:29 PM

Sounds like a good plan. I heard of someone in a similar situation who just wanted to be a tennis teaching pro and did not want to pursue hard core academics, and I believe the path was Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, which has some sort of associate's degree in tennis management, followed by the University of Texas at Tyler, which I believe had a B.A. in the same field, although I cannot find it now online. Kinesiology: Athletic Training is the closest I see, and that is not what I remembered. UT-Tyler has a Division II tennis team.

Ferris State University in Michigan has a B.A. in Professional Tennis Management and a Division II tennis team. Methodist College in North Carolina has a similar program and a Division III tennis team (no athletic scholarships).

EDIT: UT-Tyler is D-III, not D-II.

andfor · 05-07-2013, 06:17 PM

Great plan. I may be able to provide you some insight and promise. In-mail me andromeda if you want to talk about it.

JW10S · 05-07-2013, 06:40 PM

Michael Pernfors played 2 years at Seminole Community College before transferring to U. of Georgia where he went on to win back to back NCAA singles titles. Pernfors then went on to have a successful pro career. Rodrigo Grilli played 2 years at College of the Desert Community College then went on to play for UCLA (his pro career was less successful). Here are just 2 examples off the top of my head of players who played junior college tennis and then transferred to top rated Div I teams. So a junior college transfer to a Div II or III seems, and is, very doable.

Towerofpower205 · 05-07-2013, 09:10 PM

UT Tyler is division 3

ClarkC · 05-08-2013, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Towerofpower205

UT Tyler is division 3

Just saw their name in the D-III NCAA draw and came here to correct my mistake! You beat me to it.

Overdrive · 05-09-2013, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ClarkC

Sounds like a good plan. I heard of someone in a similar situation who just wanted to be a tennis teaching pro and did not want to pursue hard core academics, and I believe the path was Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, which has some sort of associate's degree in tennis management, followed by the University of Texas at Tyler, which I believe had a B.A. in the same field, although I cannot find it now online. Kinesiology: Athletic Training is the closest I see, and that is not what I remembered. UT-Tyler has a Division II tennis team.

Ferris State University in Michigan has a B.A. in Professional Tennis Management and a Division II tennis team. Methodist College in North Carolina has a similar program and a Division III tennis team (no athletic scholarships).

EDIT: UT-Tyler is D-III, not D-II.

Tennis Management is an actual degree? What's the difference between Physical Education and Training as a tennis coach?

I plan to be an aspiring coach. Please e-mail me for more details.

ClarkC · 05-10-2013, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Overdrive

Tennis Management is an actual degree? What's the difference between Physical Education and Training as a tennis coach?

I plan to be an aspiring coach. Please e-mail me for more details.

I don't know. Check out the program descriptions at Ferris State and Methodist College and see if they make it clear.

andfor · 05-10-2013, 06:21 AM

Tyler JC has an A.A. in Tennis Management.

goran_ace · 05-10-2013, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Overdrive

Tennis Management is an actual degree? What's the difference between Physical Education and Training as a tennis coach?

I plan to be an aspiring coach. Please e-mail me for more details.

From what I understand golf and tennis management programs add a business component to the curriculum. They are designed to help you beyond the phase of your career when you are just teaching and into the phase of your career where you may become part of director of tennis or club manager or running your own business.

Overdrive · 05-10-2013, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goran_ace

From what I understand golf and tennis management programs add a business component to the curriculum. They are designed to help you beyond the phase of your career when you are just teaching and into the phase of your career where you may become part of director of tennis or club manager or running your own business.

Eh... When I become a head coach after 10 or 15 years, I may study that and run my own tennis center.

05-07-2013, 01:52 PM	#1
andromeda New User Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 50	Community college, then 4 year school? My son has a LOT of learning disabilities along with Tourette's Syndrome and ADHD. He is supposed to be entering 9th grade but is 2 years behind in math right now. He can read on grade level, has college level spelling, but 5th grade level comprehension. Basically, he's all over the map. Our neuropsychologist told me she thinks he has a brain injury from birth trauma, which is highly likely because when he was born he wasn't breathing and had nerve damage on the right side of his face. Anyway, he is a fantastic tennis player. Top 200 in the country in the boys 14s(3 star recruit on tennis recruiting). His coach used to coach Div 1 tennis until the mens' program got killed a few years ago. He thinks our son has Div 1 ability and talent. Unfortunately, I don't think my son has the academic outlook for Div 1. I'm not sure he could handle that kind of academic load as well as play that high level of tennis. I have been thinking of having him do 2 years of junior college and then transfer in to a Div 2 school to finish a degree(if he wants to, of course). What is the possibility of that being a good path for some tennis kids? He could play rec or adult tournaments here and possibly community college tennis, as well. He could see how things go and then tryout for a higher level school, right?

05-07-2013, 03:29 PM	#2
ClarkC Hall Of Fame Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Charlottesville, VA Posts: 2,831	Sounds like a good plan. I heard of someone in a similar situation who just wanted to be a tennis teaching pro and did not want to pursue hard core academics, and I believe the path was Tyler Junior College in Tyler, Texas, which has some sort of associate's degree in tennis management, followed by the University of Texas at Tyler, which I believe had a B.A. in the same field, although I cannot find it now online. Kinesiology: Athletic Training is the closest I see, and that is not what I remembered. UT-Tyler has a Division II tennis team. Ferris State University in Michigan has a B.A. in Professional Tennis Management and a Division II tennis team. Methodist College in North Carolina has a similar program and a Division III tennis team (no athletic scholarships). EDIT: UT-Tyler is D-III, not D-II. Last edited by ClarkC : 05-08-2013 at 07:02 PM. Reason: Correction

05-07-2013, 06:17 PM	#3
andfor Hall Of Fame Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,134	Great plan. I may be able to provide you some insight and promise. In-mail me andromeda if you want to talk about it. __________________ "i thought those were just a little harmless brown bugs, you know the ones take wings and fly? but it turned to be Flees." Fedace

05-07-2013, 06:40 PM	#4
JW10S Hall Of Fame Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 1,575	Michael Pernfors played 2 years at Seminole Community College before transferring to U. of Georgia where he went on to win back to back NCAA singles titles. Pernfors then went on to have a successful pro career. Rodrigo Grilli played 2 years at College of the Desert Community College then went on to play for UCLA (his pro career was less successful). Here are just 2 examples off the top of my head of players who played junior college tennis and then transferred to top rated Div I teams. So a junior college transfer to a Div II or III seems, and is, very doable. Last edited by JW10S : 05-07-2013 at 06:48 PM.

05-10-2013, 06:21 AM	#9
andfor Hall Of Fame Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 4,134	Tyler JC has an A.A. in Tennis Management. __________________ "i thought those were just a little harmless brown bugs, you know the ones take wings and fly? but it turned to be Flees." Fedace

05-07-2013, 09:10 PM	#5
Towerofpower205 Rookie Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 176	UT Tyler is division 3