Investment, lots of input needed

kojuten · Nov 16, 2009

Well I currently am a first year university student and a solid 4.0 - 4.5 player. I really wanna make it to a D II team and I'm willing to work my socks off for it. The way Im playing it looks like I will also go my sophomore year without representing a team. But i have planned this year and the next to be full on training for making it possible for me to play for three years. Now on to my question:
First scenario- I have been working and saving my pennies and I have made budget that would allow me to live comfortably and get lessons twice a weak Once from a Head pro who I think knows a lot and from someone that would be able to reinforce what I have learned. Also i would be hitting as much as I could and also going out to to practice my serve.
Second scenario- I don't get any lessons and just keep on tweaking my game as i hit any chance i get.
Thank you all

Geezer Guy · Nov 17, 2009

Advice from an old guy: Much as I love tennis, if you're a college student you gotta buckle down and study. Your first priority has GOT to be making the grades. Your second priority has GOT to be making some money so you don't come out of college with a HUGE student loan that will take you years and years and years to pay off. Third priority can be having some fun along the way, whether that's with girls or tennis or booze or whatever. Put your serious tennis on hold for 4 years. Play for fun (for free) when your studies and part time job permit, sure, but IMO your tennis should not be anywhere near the top of your priority list.

I'm sure that's NOT what you want to hear, but try to think long term. You've got your whole life to play tennis. The next 4 years will lay the foundation for the rest of your life.

larry10s · Nov 17, 2009

Geezer Guy said:
Advice from an old guy: Much as I love tennis, if you're a college student you gotta buckle down and study. Your first priority has GOT to be making the grades. Your second priority has GOT to be making some money so you don't come out of college with a HUGE student loan that will take you years and years and years to pay off. Third priority can be having some fun along the way, whether that's with girls or tennis or booze or whatever. Put your serious tennis on hold for 4 years. Play for fun (for free) when your studies and part time job permit, sure, but IMO your tennis should not be anywhere near the top of your priority list.

I'm sure that's NOT what you want to hear, but try to think long term. You've got your whole life to play tennis. The next 4 years will lay the foundation for the rest of your life.

Kojuten, except for the booze this is the best advice you could get.VERY EXCELLENT POST. (i'm also an old guy)

NickH87 · Nov 17, 2009

I think of it the other way around. I know the likelihood of getting a fantastic dream job right out of college is a load of **** and I will in debt of student loans out of my ass when I am done in a year. So I have all my fun now while maintaining my lifelong gpa of 3.4, play club tennis, party, drink, and try to pick up chicks every weekend because once college is over you really cant do any of that.

Id say go for it, this is really your last chance at playing serious competitive tennis with young people your age. Dont slack off on your work though, get it done first and find ways to enjoy college like everyone else.

goran_ace · Nov 17, 2009

The biggest challenge is getting match experience. You are probably too old to play junior tournaments and it might be hard to find competitive adult tournaments or leagues depending on where you live. Does your school have a club team?

LeeD · Nov 17, 2009

Only YOU can choose your life path. After it happens, keep your head up, look at the glass half full, and take it as a good experience.
Some choose to buckle down and make a go of college and career.
Other's party thru school, then thru life.
Other's again compromse between, and some even choose to give it a go in sports !! :shock::shock:
Whichever, the most important thing I see, now that I'm 60 years old, is that I could never say "what if I gave it a try".......

Tennisman912 · Nov 17, 2009

Kojuten,

You’ve already received some excellent advice from Geezer guy. Second, you are also a bit unrealistic in you expectations. First, what are you basing this 4-4.5 level on? Do you have tournament or league experience or did you read the guidelines and think that is where you fall? Most likely the latter. You must realize you are falling farther behind every day as those college players play 5-7 days a week, with quality instruction every day (ok, most of them) and quality hitting partners. One good lesson a week is not cutting the mustard. Hitting with those who don’t have experience just means you are getting better against others who don’t know what they are doing, not against people used to competing against other competitive players. Go play someone on the team for a reality check and you will realize how far behind you really are. It won't be fun if my suspicions above are correct.

Having said that, I hate to be Johnny rain cloud but this is the reality of the situation. Play tennis as your schedule allows, get through college and take advantage of your chance to start life out with every advantage you can. You will never be as free as you are in college (trust us we have been there). In ten years you will realize how right Geezer Guy is, when it is too late to help you. Enjoy college to the fullest. Get your future in order. And while I am glad you have found something you have a passion for, Tennis will be there in a few years and if you take care of business now, you will have more money to devote to your tennis game if that is what is still important to you (it may not be by then). But don’t hurt your whole future for the chance to at best, play 2 years of college tennis.

Best of luck and please think of this thread in 10 years. You will realize then how good the advice Geezer Guy has given you.

TM

kojuten · Nov 17, 2009

Thank you everyone, I thought I might add some details just to see what reactions would be.
Geezer- My situation right now is my housing and tuition is all payed for and i still have about 2k left and this is all scholarship money and I work about 15 hours a week to pay for expenses. My grades are pretty good I am aiming to go throughout my years here with 3.5 and so far that's how my grades may be for this semester. I have still had time to play and work out for about 2-3 hours a day.
So I'm pretty set minus the whole partying thing which I have never been into.
TM- I played high school tennis, and I currently played singles for my tennis club in the most recent invitational and I fared pretty well. I have the passion, desire and drive, My dream is tennis. But really after I have said all this I have nothing left to say but accept reality.
Thanks again.

LeeD · Nov 17, 2009

Some say you're waay too old.
Consider this.
I started tennis at 24. By 27, a winning 3.5 with 5.5 shots SOME of the time, lots of good advice from A players, and some advice from ArtLarsen and his friends (mostly former world class players.
At 27, went 4 rounds in Pro Q.
At 28, went 5 rounds in Pro Q.
If I'd won ONE more round, I'd be in the first round of the SF TransAmerica Pro tournament and $500.
It's a stretch for sure, and local A players better than me didn't go more than one round of Q's. Gotta get lucky, hit some big shots, intimidate a bit, and hope the draw isn't too tough.
At your level and age, you can certainly make multiple rounds in small Q events.

5263 · Nov 17, 2009

kojuten said:
Thank you everyone, I thought I might add some details just to see what reactions would be.
Geezer- My situation right now is my housing and tuition is all payed for and i still have about 2k left and this is all scholarship money and I work about 15 hours a week to pay for expenses. My grades are pretty good I am aiming to go throughout my years here with 3.5 and so far that's how my grades may be for this semester. I have still had time to play and work out for about 2-3 hours a day.
So I'm pretty set minus the whole partying thing which I have never been into.
TM- I played high school tennis, and I currently played singles for my tennis club in the most recent invitational and I fared pretty well. I have the passion, desire and drive, My dream is tennis. But really after I have said all this I have nothing left to say but accept reality.
Thanks again.

I'm with you here. You got the rest of your life to WORK. Now is your only chance to play college tennis! No reason you can't have top notch grades and play tennis. Many of the lessons you learn in this game will help you more than the college education you get.

With a good coach and some talent, no reason you can't have 2 good years of college tennis ahead of you; 2 years that you can remember fondly the rest of your life and when you roll on to the courts to play rec in your 30s and 40s.

Djokovicfan4life · Nov 17, 2009

LeeD said:
Some say you're waay too old.
Consider this.
I started tennis at 24.

At 27, went 4 rounds in Pro Q.
At 28, went 5 rounds in Pro Q.

This is bull crap.

papa · Nov 17, 2009

Making it in pro sports is extremely hard even if your young, have skill and are mentally tough - for every one that makes it, thousands don't. Life is not the easy even for the one in a thousand that makes it. Injury alone will effect many of the "one in a thousand" so their sports careers are surprisingly short.
Professional sports are not what most think they are - its hard work, luck, being in the right place at the right time and so forth. Even if you make it, the money comes and goes quickly and most are left with little to show for it.

Remaining active in sports such as sports management, facility management, sporting goods manufacturing and sales, etc. provides much better odds.

If your a 4.0 - 4.5 player at 18 or 19 your chances of making it as a pro in tennis are about zero. You might be able to be a teaching pro but I'm afraid to break the news to you but there are 12 year olds that probably are better. Be realistic and stay in college.

Rambler124 · Nov 17, 2009

papa said:
Making it in pro sports is extremely hard even if your young, have skill and are mentally tough - for every one that makes it, thousands don't. Life is not the easy even for the one in a thousand that makes it. Injury alone will effect many of the "one in a thousand" so their sports careers are surprisingly short.
Professional sports are not what most think they are - its hard work, luck, being in the right place at the right time and so forth. Even if you make it, the money comes and goes quickly and most are left with little to show for it.

Remaining active in sports such as sports management, facility management, sporting goods manufacturing and sales, etc. provides much better odds.

If your a 4.0 - 4.5 player at 18 or 19 your chances of making it as a pro in tennis are about zero. You might be able to be a teaching pro but I'm afraid to break the news to you but there are 12 year olds that probably are better. Be realistic and stay in college.

The guy isn't saying he is going to drop out of school. Just wants to get good enough to play and make a DII roster. Thats all.

I agree with what you said papa. It just doesn't apply to the OP.

kojuten · Nov 17, 2009

Just to clear things up, I am not going to drop out of school.

MayDay · Nov 17, 2009

It seems you do have the priorities in line and just want to ask how you should spend your money wisely in a hobby that you enjoy (which happens to be tennis).

If I was at your age (oh the memories - mostly girls and booze

), I would go with first scenario and then find people/new friends slightly above your level to hang/hit and exchange ideas/observations. It's your first year, so it should be easy make good life long friends that have strong common interest in tennis.

papa · Nov 18, 2009

OK, Rambler your right. Well to play at the Div 2 level he is very close to having the ability/skill set. Div 1 players, for the most part anyway, are in the 5.0 - 5.5 category. Div 2 schools, although they have some excellent players, are on the average, about .5 less. To go from what he says he is up a notch, probably just requires some additional coaching and more playing experience. Ask the coach if you can become a hitting partner with a team member or be a sub for doubles practice - they generally will work someone in once they see your motivated. Do anything basically, offer to pick up balls, anything to get you in the front door - it works.

goran_ace · Nov 18, 2009

kojuten said:
Thank you everyone, I thought I might add some details just to see what reactions would be.
Geezer- My situation right now is my housing and tuition is all payed for and i still have about 2k left and this is all scholarship money and I work about 15 hours a week to pay for expenses. My grades are pretty good I am aiming to go throughout my years here with 3.5 and so far that's how my grades may be for this semester. I have still had time to play and work out for about 2-3 hours a day.
So I'm pretty set minus the whole partying thing which I have never been into.
TM- I played high school tennis, and I currently played singles for my tennis club in the most recent invitational and I fared pretty well. I have the passion, desire and drive, My dream is tennis. But really after I have said all this I have nothing left to say but accept reality.
Thanks again.

If you make the team in two years, realize that practice, off court workouts, meetings, and travel will take up all of your free time during in fall and spring. Your grades will likely drop 0.25-0.5 lower than your current average and you will not be able to work on the side.

College tennis may be the dream now, but take it from someone who played in college: it isn't that great. It's a huge commitment of time and effort. Relationships suffer, grades suffer, your body suffers. You miss out on a lot of what your friends are doing. It doesn't elevate your status - most people on campus probably don't even know your school has a tennis team. All you are left with is bragging rights at the racquet club and some funny stories to tell over apres-match beer and pizza. I'm still playing tennis today and realize there are a lot of good players out there in league and tournament play who didn't play college tennis. My regrets about college aren't that I didn't realize my potential as a tennis player, I regret not putting the effort into my grades and not getting into an elite law school or med school. Those things are life changers. College tennis - not so much.

LeeD · Nov 18, 2009

DJ, this for you and everyone else, of course...
Not Bullcrap. If those two tournaments listed Q's resultsfor, you'd find a Lee there losing those rounds to one JoaroSoares one year, then RussellSimpson the following. This was 31 years ago, of course, not today.
You read my posts especially concerning your hero, the Clint dude (volleyer). You KNOW that I don't talk about my victories, only my losses. It's much too great a slight on the players who somehow managed to lose a match to me. Embarrassing for them.
By the way, how is Clint doing?

KenC · Nov 18, 2009

larry10s said:
Kojuten, except for the booze this is the best advice you could get.VERY EXCELLENT POST. (i'm also an old guy)

The best thing about college is developing brain cells to an amazing capacity and then killing them with beer. Yes, I did go to a party school!

As for tennis, there is a whole industry behind the sport. Even if you don't somehow miraculously develop into a Pro, there's a lot you could do with a university degree and a desire to be involved in this great sport.

Matt H. · Nov 18, 2009

you say you have the drive and desire and that college tennis is your passion…..but if that’s true, why are you waiting til after your freshman year of college has already started to do this?

I hate to rain on peoples parades, but the first guy got it right. Focus on school. Your time window to make a college team has come and gone. That doesn’t mean you can’t play competitive tennis though. USTA has tons of tournaments and leagues. Some of the tournaments even have prize money.

If you don’t believe what everyone says and really think you can do it, the answer is simple: Go out and play 5-10 USTA Men’s Open tournaments. I don’t know your location, but generally the open tournaments have good competition. If you can, try to do 1 or 2 of them outside your area or state. This will help make sure you’re not just a big fish in a small pond. Report back to us with the number of matches/sets/games you won. That number will be an honest and true reflection of whether you can play tennis at a collegiate level or not.

Coaches want rankings and tournament results. Period.

Camilio Pascual · Nov 18, 2009

Some different advice from another old guy.
Money is a recoverable resource.
TIME CANNOT BE RECOVERED.
Do not squander your youth, get into competition immediately.
Then, if you are not getting out of it what you want, don't waste time, drop it and do something else.
Delay is the deadliest form of denial.

Cindysphinx · Nov 18, 2009

OP:

You must have caught me on a good day. I say pour everything you can into pursuing your goal. If you succeed, great.

If you don't, you will have put your free time into something you love rather than TV, video games, and socializing. I will take you at your word that your grades are good and will stay good.

Your plans do not sound unreasonable to me, and if you don't do this now you never will. You have plenty of time later to become a Corporate Drone with a hefty mortgage, a bloated Visa bill and more leaky faucets than you can fix.

Get after it, Sonny!

kojuten · Nov 18, 2009

Matt H. said:
you say you have the drive and desire and that college tennis is your passion…..but if that’s true, why are you waiting til after your freshman year of college has already started to do this?

I hate to rain on peoples parades, but the first guy got it right. Focus on school. Your time window to make a college team has come and gone. That doesn’t mean you can’t play competitive tennis though. USTA has tons of tournaments and leagues. Some of the tournaments even have prize money.

If you don’t believe what everyone says and really think you can do it, the answer is simple: Go out and play 5-10 USTA Men’s Open tournaments. I don’t know your location, but generally the open tournaments have good competition. If you can, try to do 1 or 2 of them outside your area or state. This will help make sure you’re not just a big fish in a small pond. Report back to us with the number of matches/sets/games you won. That number will be an honest and true reflection of whether you can play tennis at a collegiate level or not.

Coaches want rankings and tournament results. Period.

I completely see where your coming but to answer about why Im starting this now is because as a high school student I did not work much and my parents were not able to afford good private lessons. We had shaky years and they were working so hard that me asking them for something selfish with already a senior year, which btw is quite an expense, could not bring myself to ask for more. Although I did take lessons from a pro I had made an arrangement with but later rather than drilling me every lesson became just a hitting session but don't get me wrong this guy taught me a lot but hitting with him was not helping much, but before I would attend high school practice and a local tennis club.
I am in the southwest area, El Paso, and I have done a few Adult tournaments and I have never made it past the 3rd round but I have seen what is out there and I see why hard work and passion can't overcome obstacles. With scholarship money coming in I began to budget and thought hey this could work well with me still being perfectly fine.
In the tennis club I mentioned I have seen the real deal, we had the top 2 boys in El paso and dont get me wrong they were good but at times they were lazy and they could have been so much better. To add some credentials, one graduated and currently is playing for Lipscomb.

Tennisman912 · Nov 18, 2009

Kojuten,

Playing high school tennis isn’t worth a lot as many schools have horrible players. Unless you played at a great school or more importantly, advanced in post-season play, it is worthless to you now. As someone else suggested, if you don’t have tournament experience with some success, you have a hard road ahead.

I would concur that playing college tennis isn’t that important in the grand scheme of things. While I have no regrets about it and the time it takes, unless you play at a school that is known for tennis or an elite program, most fellow students could care less. I have friends that never had even seen a college match in four years and they are still good friends now (15 years hence). You are playing college tennis for yourself, not the fans or the notoriety you think it might give you.

Don’t let anyone stand in the way of your passions but there is a cost for all choices you make. But as an adult now, you are responsible for your actions and choices, which hold considerable weight at your present point in time. Those choices set the tone for the rest of your life. The choice is yours and yours alone. Remember, all people are self-made. But only successful ones admit it. Figure out what is success to you.

Best of luck

TM

larry10s · Nov 18, 2009

Cindysphinx said:
OP:

You must have caught me on a good day. I say pour everything you can into pursuing your goal. If you succeed, great.

If you don't, you will have put your free time into something you love rather than TV, video games, and socializing. I will take you at your word that your grades are good and will stay good.

Your plans do not sound unreasonable to me, and if you don't do this now you never will. You have plenty of time later to become a Corporate Drone with a hefty mortgage, a bloated Visa bill and more leaky faucets than you can fix.

Get after it, Sonny!

NO. after you are a corporate exec and paid off your mortgage and dont carry visa balances you can be one of the best pkayers at your club. get your good grades and get a great job. the odds of making a living in tennis is small

Rambler124 · Nov 18, 2009

papa said:
OK, Rambler your right. Well to play at the Div 2 level he is very close to having the ability/skill set. Div 1 players, for the most part anyway, are in the 5.0 - 5.5 category. Div 2 schools, although they have some excellent players, are on the average, about .5 less. To go from what he says he is up a notch, probably just requires some additional coaching and more playing experience. Ask the coach if you can become a hitting partner with a team member or be a sub for doubles practice - they generally will work someone in once they see your motivated. Do anything basically, offer to pick up balls, anything to get you in the front door - it works.

This. Additionally, D2/NAIA/D3 schools are all across the board NTRP wise. It depends on what school you are getting into. Some are really strong and have unbelievably solid payers. Some look like glorified high school teams (especially D3). So it very well could depend on how good the school is ya know?

Rambler124 · Nov 18, 2009

larry10s said:
NO. after you are a corporate exec and paid off your mortgage and dont carry visa balances you can be one of the best pkayers at your club. get your good grades and get a great job. the odds of making a living in tennis is small

Don't see the connection here. Am I crazy or are people misjudging the OP's intentions. This person basically wants to play DII tennis. Not turn pro. Not drop out of school.

If he says he is a 4.0/4.5 player I honestly think he has solid shot at doing so by his senior year (depending on the school he/she is attending) but that being said he needs to work his behind off for it. Or perhaps I am misreading his intentions.

I'd say that just in guess work a lot of DII players fall into a 5.0 category some schools/players higher some schools/players lower but 5.0 would be my best guess at a general NTRP rating for DII.

snvplayer · Nov 19, 2009

Hmm tough choice.
Some of my fondest memories from high school is playing on the team, travelling, and what not.

In college, I still played tennis (not on the team) with my friends, and became seriously obssessed with improving. I got pretty ill once and I decided to put tennis above academics - based on "I only live once" idea.

After 5 years, I look back and I do think it was worth it, but it was not the right choice. I am a much better tennis player because of it, but I also wasted money on school while not really doing much for school itself. If I took a complete year off school and just worked on my tennis and making money, then it would have been the right choice. I ended up being a decent recreational player, who is rapidly losing interest in tennis, with a mediocre GPA from college. The medicore GPA had given me some trouble as I graduated..

My advice is, if you really want to improve your tennis, then do it. However, don't do it at the expense of other things such as academics - things that you cannot relive and fix. Take a year or a semester off, work on your game and make money. Come back to school and make the team. If you don't, well nice try! Being in school and trying to improve your game will be more difficult than playing on the team and being in school. In the formal, you are going to be stressed out if not improving and more likely to obssess with tennis.

I don't know how good the team you're trying to get on is. I have seen some D-II players that were really good - easily 5.0. I guess the majority are at least at 4.5. Not to discourage you, but the gap between 4.0 and 4.5 can be pretty big. So you might also want to compete against them and see if it's realistic.

Also, grades don't matter once you start working, but they are going to affect every job and graduate school you apply for. You never know what lies ahead of you in future, so never say never.....

snvplayer · Nov 19, 2009

Tennisman912 said:
Kojuten,

Playing high school tennis isn’t worth a lot as many schools have horrible players. Unless you played at a great school or more importantly, advanced in post-season play, it is worthless to you now. As someone else suggested, if you don’t have tournament experience with some success, you have a hard road ahead.

I would concur that playing college tennis isn’t that important in the grand scheme of things. While I have no regrets about it and the time it takes, unless you play at a school that is known for tennis or an elite program, most fellow students could care less. I have friends that never had even seen a college match in four years and they are still good friends now (15 years hence). You are playing college tennis for yourself, not the fans or the notoriety you think it might give you.

Don’t let anyone stand in the way of your passions but there is a cost for all choices you make. But as an adult now, you are responsible for your actions and choices, which hold considerable weight at your present point in time. Those choices set the tone for the rest of your life. The choice is yours and yours alone. Remember, all people are self-made. But only successful ones admit it. Figure out what is success to you.

Best of luck

TM

Very very very very very well said.

Cindysphinx · Nov 19, 2009

Rambler124 said:
Don't see the connection here. Am I crazy or are people misjudging the OP's intentions. This person basically wants to play DII tennis. Not turn pro. Not drop out of school.

If he says he is a 4.0/4.5 player I honestly think he has solid shot at doing so by his senior year (depending on the school he/she is attending) but that being said he needs to work his behind off for it. Or perhaps I am misreading his intentions.

I'd say that just in guess work a lot of DII players fall into a 5.0 category some schools/players higher some schools/players lower but 5.0 would be my best guess at a general NTRP rating for DII.

I don't get it either, Rambler.

As I remember college, there was *a lot* of free time. If OP attends his classes and does well, he will have lots of time to work on his tennis.

As far as the idea that he can skip the tennis now and be an exec and then be the best player at his club someday . . . All I can say is that there are many, many things that can interfere with those carefully conceived plans (divorce, illness, job instability). Nothing is guaranteed, so I don't see a reason to shelve one's passions now on the theory that there will be a fairy tale ending in middle age.

OP should probably set a solid GPA goal and tell himself the tennis training ends if his grades dip even a little.

GuyClinch · Nov 20, 2009

Div. II programs can be very good. So it does depend on the school. Its unlikely that a 4.5 player is enough. I think people greatly understimate how difficult it is to move even a half level once you hit the 3.5 mark. So to get up to 5.5 level from 4.5 as a Soph is extremely hard.

Pete

Bagumbawalla · Nov 22, 2009

I didn't read the previous answers, but here:

http://www.collegetennisonline.com/Tennis/Division.aspx?lgId=2

is a list of div II colleges. You can click on your college and look up the roster.

In my area, there is only one player from the US, others have been recruited from around the world. I checked some of the other colleges-- same thing.

So, basically, though I sympathize with you, my guess is that you would have better success pulling your gps up into the 4s (and play in local leagues/tournaments) than getting someone to look at your game-- unless you are already one of the top rising players from your country- with a history of wins and rankings to back that up.

papa · Nov 22, 2009

Rambler124 said:
This. Additionally, D2/NAIA/D3 schools are all across the board NTRP wise. It depends on what school you are getting into. Some are really strong and have unbelievably solid payers. Some look like glorified high school teams (especially D3). So it very well could depend on how good the school is ya know?

Yes, absolutely. Depth, can also be a factor.

I probably should know this but as I recall there are over three thousand Colleges and Universities in the United States. Because of cost, many have either cut or reduced their sports programs - even large state universities have made major cuts. There are also NCAA guidelines/limitations on scholarships - for instance, and maybe this has recently changed, but D 3 schools could not even give athletic scholarships along with Ivy League schools (quite sure this hasn't changed).

So, your right, there are many variables and no one statement fits all.

LeeD · Nov 23, 2009

Hard or easy is just not the question.
The question is potential. If you play average 4.5 tennis, weak serves, short volleys, inconsistent medium paced groundies, average speed, average movment, average eyesight, don't expect to make it.
If you possess SOME of the above in an extraordinary way, MOST of them, or all of them, then go for it.
Just because you're 19 doesn't mean you've peaked.
We didn't discuss WHEN you started tennis, how much you've played, or when you finished, if you finished GROWING!

skiracer55 · Nov 23, 2009

There's another way to look at it...

kojuten said:
Thank you everyone, I thought I might add some details just to see what reactions would be.
Geezer- My situation right now is my housing and tuition is all payed for and i still have about 2k left and this is all scholarship money and I work about 15 hours a week to pay for expenses. My grades are pretty good I am aiming to go throughout my years here with 3.5 and so far that's how my grades may be for this semester. I have still had time to play and work out for about 2-3 hours a day.
So I'm pretty set minus the whole partying thing which I have never been into.
TM- I played high school tennis, and I currently played singles for my tennis club in the most recent invitational and I fared pretty well. I have the passion, desire and drive, My dream is tennis. But really after I have said all this I have nothing left to say but accept reality.
Thanks again.

...which is, whether or not you make a D2 team, what happens to tennis after college? I was #2 on my high school team, didn't make my college team, but I've continued to play tournaments throughout the rest of my life. So you're investing in your tennis future and your real job future by prioritizing and balancing your schedules...let's say you don't make a D2 team but your tennis improves significantly and you wind up in the work force along with the rest of us who still have a day job to support our tennis/biking/ski racing dreams...what's wrong with that?

LeeD · Nov 23, 2009

Or you might be a homeless person living on the street and playing solid 4.5 thru 5.5 tennis.....

I've known several, so it's possible.

Matt H. · Nov 23, 2009

kojuten said:
I completely see where your coming but to answer about why Im starting this now is because as a high school student I did not work much and my parents were not able to afford good private lessons. We had shaky years and they were working so hard that me asking them for something selfish with already a senior year, which btw is quite an expense, could not bring myself to ask for more. Although I did take lessons from a pro I had made an arrangement with but later rather than drilling me every lesson became just a hitting session but don't get me wrong this guy taught me a lot but hitting with him was not helping much, but before I would attend high school practice and a local tennis club.
I am in the southwest area, El Paso, and I have done a few Adult tournaments and I have never made it past the 3rd round but I have seen what is out there and I see why hard work and passion can't overcome obstacles. With scholarship money coming in I began to budget and thought hey this could work well with me still being perfectly fine.
In the tennis club I mentioned I have seen the real deal, we had the top 2 boys in El paso and dont get me wrong they were good but at times they were lazy and they could have been so much better. To add some credentials, one graduated and currently is playing for Lipscomb.

This has nothing to do with how many private lessons you were able to take back during high school. While still nice, most "pros" out there are simply ball feeders.

What are these "Adult Tournaments" you speak of? Can you post links from the USTA website showing your results?

You can give whatever story you want, but i'm telling you from experience that at your age and the fact you're already in college and will be trying to walk-on to your team the coach is going to want to see your resume. A resume of tournament results. What tournaments you competed in, how many of them at the national or at least state-designated level, and how many wins you gathered up. If you're not top 100 in your USTA's state open ranking, it's going to be tough.

If the coach is nice, he will set-up a practice match against for you against one of the guys on the team.

Also- are you talking about transfering to whatever school you could play at? Or just making your current schools team? What school are you at?

SlapChop · Nov 23, 2009

I would get into some group lessons or drills once or twice a week. Those are not too expensive and will help to improve skills. Maybe take a couple of privates if there is something in particular that you need help with. I would also try to find some good hitting partners so you can hit with them, then enter some USTA tournaments and join a league so you can get some regular competition. You can also find people on USTA that like to do drills and practice so you can get some good sessions that way too. Use the find a partner feature on the USTA website. It doesn;t have to be too expensive to get better just use your time and money wisely.

I think alot of the response is going way too extreme from what the OP is asking. Basically he is asking how to best spend his money to improve his game whether or not he makes the DII team is secondary. He is also obviously keeping his grades as a top priority, I think a lot of you are trying to put words in his mouth that he did not say.

Matt H. · Nov 23, 2009

slapchop, it's in the first post:

I really wanna make it to a D II team and I'm willing to work my socks off for it. The way Im playing it looks like I will also go my sophomore year without representing a team. But i have planned this year and the next to be full on training for making it possible for me to play for three years.

SlapChop · Nov 23, 2009

corrected I read a post from someone else and thought it was the OP.

Investment, lots of input needed

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