I play Division III college tennis, AMA
- Thread starter Fabresque
- Start date
tennisfan17
Professional
Not a question, but a statement. I’m glad to see another active college player in this board and I love the ama idea
sftennisfan
New User
How often do you guys get to restring your racquets if a string doesn't break and what kind of gear do you get from the school?
What’s your school,study,tennis,(job?) schedule like?
how would you compare that schedule to other divisions?
were you and your team mates recruited to the school or try out for the team?
What are the coaches objectives during trainings? Improve technique (e.g. develop bigger serve), strategy, something else?
how would you compare that schedule to other divisions?
were you and your team mates recruited to the school or try out for the team?
What are the coaches objectives during trainings? Improve technique (e.g. develop bigger serve), strategy, something else?
fireForehand
New User
...
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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How is the order of lineup determined in most cases? Is it sort of established at the beginning of the year or do you all play each other in practice matches? In High School we used to have a system where once a week a person could challenge another for their spot(within reason, usually #2 could challenge #1), and the winner got it. Does anything like that happen?
megamind
Legend
lol my high school didn’t have that
I used to beat higher seeds consistently but coach wouldn’t move me up because he said I spent too much time on the baseline!
(or the coach was doing it on purpose in a sandbagging kinda way)
megamind
Legend
Fabresque
Legend
We can get strings restrung ASAP. We have our own stringer on campus who has all kinds of strings that the players want (we write a list before season so he gets the supply). Winter/Summer break is different, stringer isn’t available every day, instead more like once a weekish. We get Nike gear from our school.
Schedules pretty erratic, practices are late night atm at our indoor facility, usually going till midnight 3/4 days of the week. Monday’s off, Friday’s 3-5, with biweekly Saturday practices from 8-10am, weightlifting Fridays and Mondays, and Sunday open-court time (not mandatory). Most of my classes are afternoon, done before 4pm. Usually get my studying/homework done in the mornings, sometimes before practice and after classes. Don’t have a job, I don’t have time for it right now, but thankfully my parents are helping me out paying for college and food wise.
Im not too sure, but Ty Tucker has OSU (D1) practicing 5 hours a day every day, with intense drills and conditioning to make sure his players are in top shape. No idea how they do it, I’d be failing my classes after a week trying to keep up.
All but one got recruited. Usually accepting of walkons (tryouts), but most of them aren’t good tbh.
Biggest thing is consistency and making shots. We’re D3, hitting winners shouldn’t be a priority, so we focus on consistency drills along with improving our on court strategy and learning how to play doubles better. We practice a lot of footwork and situational stuff that’ll give us better results quicker. The philosophy is to make shots, no matter what, no matter how, get the ball over the net.
Ehh, not much. Some local stuff but over the summer playing in ITA Tour events is pretty important for you to get match play during a time where you probably aren’t playing much.
What’s an APD?
Focusing on Upper and Lower Body, heavily, and I mean HEAVILY, focused on planks and core strengthening for better open stance shots, also big on medicine ball and a lot of squatting drills. Might try some visionary stuff outside the gym, to improve depth perception and reaction time, underrated routine people should try.
The LU is open season right now, Top 4 is safe (with maybe some fluctuation) but everything else (5,6, all 3 doubles) are open spots. He’ll play who he thinks is best for that position and who he trusts enough to, he sets us up playing matches against each other to figure out the lineup better, easier in singles but A LOT harder in doubles, so many people can play on any given day on the dubs court. Since were D3 we rely HEAVILY on winning the doubles courts. Sweeping them means we only need 2 singles matches to clinch. Big emphasis on doubles. What you mentioned is a challenge ladder system, happened in high school for me as well. But you could challenge someone new every day, not just once a week.
I’m sorry! I wasn’t even getting notifications for this thread, thought it had died lol.bro/sis how you gonna create an AMA, and then not answer any questions
Hope this answers some of your questions!!
sftennisfan
New User
Thanks for the answers. Follow up about the gear. Do you get a ton of shoes, workout clothes, etc. from Nike or just the bare minimum? I figure if you were playing at a big Nike school (think Stanford, Oregon, etc.), you could pretty much get a ton but wondering how it is at a D3. Can a top D3 take out a middle level D1 school?
Fabresque
Legend
Bare minimum. Two shirts, two shorts, and a hoodie. Anything else we want (extra shirts, sweaters, long pants) comes out of our own pocket.
I would think so. Lower-level D3’s sometimes still play local D1 teams who are either terrible or rest majority of their team. I think UChicago (Top D3) would give a D1 who isn’t Top 50 a good run for their money.
APD is Aeropro Drive. Folks on here know a lot about rackets though they are mostly lousy players.
Fabresque
Legend
I don’t use Aeropro Drive. I use a head Radical MPs
bobleenov1963
Hall of Fame
That is not much. Which university is this?
The private high school where my son is currently attending and tennis season will begin in 1 1/2 weeks. Last year the school provided: two dri-fit short sleeve shirts, two dri-fit shorts, two long sleeve dri-fit shirts, one hoodie, one warm up jacket, two long pants, and two dri-fit hats. All free of charge.
haqq777
Legend
Pretty standard for most public DII schools these days too, at least in the conferences I know of. Almost all schools in our local conferece are like that. I played DII myself but in a different conference down south. Played in the early 2000s and back then we got three pairs of shorts, three shirts and a track suit with hoodie. Stringing was free just like now but for racquets and bag we got the package deals for a hundred or so bucks cheaper than nowadays.
BallBag
Professional
@Fabresque
Do you think that you'll continue playing after you graduate or are you looking forward to a long break?
Do you think that you'll continue playing after you graduate or are you looking forward to a long break?
sftennisfan
New User
Here's the key question about
Here's the key question. What do you get as far as shoes? I knew someone who played at an SEC school and it seemed like shoes were almost unlimited. The limiting factor as a practical matter is that people get comfortable with their shoes so don't just want to swap out for new ones all the time. Between practice and matches, you could easily go through a pair in a few weeks.
Here's the key question. What do you get as far as shoes? I knew someone who played at an SEC school and it seemed like shoes were almost unlimited. The limiting factor as a practical matter is that people get comfortable with their shoes so don't just want to swap out for new ones all the time. Between practice and matches, you could easily go through a pair in a few weeks.
haqq777
Legend
Wish there was an endless supply but not the case. Not sure about bigger DI schools but except for the first pair, shoes have always been out of own pocket, in my experience. That was one thing that always irked me since I wore them out pretty fast outdoors. Perhaps OP can chime in on his experience currently with his DIII school.
It is the same for most school in our conference here and not much different than what I experienced decade and half back down south. There might be exceptions but rarely I would think. Good thing is that minus a month or so in a year, the local college team practices indoors which isn't that rough on shoes comparatively. But definitely agree, shoes are a big one.
sftennisfan
New User
Yeah, you got to figure out at roughly $100 a pair, shoe costs can add up very quickly. I think you could get a month out of a pair during the season but that's still $800-$900 a year. But I'm pretty sure at Stanford, etc., you could easily get 5-6 pairs a year.
manirban
New User
Lol! I feel better after reading this post with a soon to be 13 year old running through a pair of shoes every 5 weeks or so.... long live TW clearance section - stocking up on multiple pairs a few sizes up at any given time! If in college this has to come out of Bank of Mom and Dad we are in trouble!
Fabresque
Legend
I don’t really want to say, if you’d like to know DM me.
We were provided with more clothing recently, long pants, drifit hat, and an NCAA hoodie.
We don’t get shoes. Out of our own pocket.
Fabresque
Legend
Honestly not sure. Still enjoy playing but that can change. Might do a 4.5 league once I graduate, depends
Nostradamus
Bionic Poster
4.5 league ?? LOL, I thought you guys were minimum like 5.0 plus ? usually top D3 school guys are like 6.0
am1899
Legend
Assuming no ITF junior results and/or ATP results, the highest NTRP level a male D3 college player under the age of 25 can expect to achieve by way of self rating is 5.5 NTRP. (Most will achieve 5.0). And many of those who do achieve a 5.0 on the self rate will successfully appeal down to 4.5.
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Fabresque
Legend
This is a big misconception about college kids. I can guarantee 5.0 is ********, most that play who aren’t playing high level D3 are 4.0-4.5
Some high level DIII tennis on view this weekend (Fri-Sun) at the ITA DIII Indoor Championships. While most of the teams have several strong players, Chicago, Emory and especially CMS are among the best in DIII (with Claremont at a 73 UTR P6). Live streaming and score-tracking available on the tournament page: https://gustavus.edu/athletics/mt/2020ITAIndoor/ (the ITA site has the draws and schedules: https://www.wearecollegetennis.com/events/d3-mens-indoors/ )
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jhick
Hall of Fame
QFT. Large majority of D3 players are 4.5 (with some 4.0's on weaker teams). Top guys are 5.5s, but those are usually guys who could have played D1 but chose D3.
Fabresque
Legend
It’s true that if we wanna do USTA League we have to self rate as 5.0, then ask to be dropped in the 4.5 league. But yeah, there isn’t anyone in my conference who’s 5.5. The top players on each team are low-mid tier 5.0’s. Everything else is 4.0-4.5
jcgatennismom
Hall of Fame
Both guys are rated in the top 5 for UTR for D3-around 12.5. Hopper went 8-0 in the fall playing 2 tournaments hosted by midmajor D1 schools. He even got a MD into a Challenger but lost 2,1. Spring 2017-spring 2019, the top D3 guys were around UTR 13, e.g. Jemison from Emory but UTRs have dropped .5 with algorithm changes. I remember Jemison beating a Gator who was ranked UTR 13.8 at the time in a summer men's open. Hopper beat Cornell's #6 in Nov 2,3 at an open. Too bad there is not more D1/D3 crossover play...
On another note, closer match than I would have thought between defending champ Chicago and Kenyon. Chicago lost at 1-3 singles.
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When I was on a d3 team 2012-2014 coach had a team discount on one brand of shoes but only brought prices down ~$20 on avg. Luckily we were less than 15 min from holabirds main location and discontinued shoe colors (even if popular models) can be super cheap there if they're trying to clear inventory
am1899
Legend
Indeed. There’s some excellent teams in D3 these days, who could compete with some D1 schools - ones outside of the powerhouse teams at the top, of course.
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Alexh22
Professional
Do you use the new one or do they give you old pro stock 18/20?
@Fabresque this is a good question. I’d like to know as well!
Fabresque
Legend
I started at age 12, I went to my local club about 8 minutes away from me. I didn’t do a lot of tournaments, mostly just clinics with other area kids and occasionally a tournament or two to prep for high school tennis. I did, however, do JTT, and helped my team qualify for JTT ******* Sectionals in 2019 (18s Adv.)
I enjoyed the experience of playing some great players who would end up committing to high level schools but overall didn’t get along too well with teammates or coach. But i was Number 1, so I liked knowing I was the best in my school.
I had a later start compared to other kids so I regret not starting earlier, but tennis is something I’ve put a lot of time into and I love a lot.
Fabresque
Legend
1) 9.85
2) 9.01
3) 8.75
4) 8.46
5) 8.35
6) 8.01 (me)
7) 7.63
8) 7.01
9) 6.83
10) 6.42
11) 4.45
Our Power 6 is a 52.
Fabresque
Legend
Freshman, six singles (I don’t play doubles)
TommieF
Rookie
Pretty accurate from my experience.
Brickhouse8198
New User
How did COVID-19 affect you and your team? Did you have any seniors who lost their senior seasons? The other senior and I lost our last season and were pretty devastated. NCAA gave the eligibility back, but it would be too expensive and quite pointless academically for us to come back as our college does not have graduate programs and we are both currently interviewing for jobs.
Fabresque
Legend
Heartbreaking honestly. We're not the most talented team, but we were gonna try and go for conference this year. We were one set away from winning the regular season conference title. Lost in semi's of the tournament. This year, my first, we were looking pretty weak early on and not in a position to challenge the Top 2 teams in our conference. A lot of hard work in the winter/early spring and going into conference matches 8-3, with a lot of confidence we could win. Nobody wanted to play us, we were the scary team that could take out anybody if you weren't at your very best. We only had one senior who lost his senior season. The NCAA gave eligibility back to everyone, including first year's (like me). He probably won't take it, he's already graduated and it's too expensive. He has a house near campus but also technically lives in a town about an hour thirty away. He's not sure where he's gonna start working, as he's applied and interviewing for jobs in both cities. It's just not a feasible option, our university does not offer a grad program for his major. Sorry about your season.
Fabresque
Legend
New.
henrytennisadelaide
Semi-Pro
Do you customise your racquets, do many people?
Do you or many people care and pay careful attention to strings/racquets/equipment?
Collegetennisrules
Rookie
What is AMA? And are you sure no one wanted to play you?Heartbreaking honestly. We're not the most talented team, but we were gonna try and go for conference this year. We were one set away from winning the regular season conference title. Lost in semi's of the tournament. This year, my first, we were looking pretty weak early on and not in a position to challenge the Top 2 teams in our conference. A lot of hard work in the winter/early spring and going into conference matches 8-3, with a lot of confidence we could win. Nobody wanted to play us, we were the scary team that could take out anybody if you weren't at your very best. We only had one senior who lost his senior season. The NCAA gave eligibility back to everyone, including first year's (like me). He probably won't take it, he's already graduated and it's too expensive. He has a house near campus but also technically lives in a town about an hour thirty away. He's not sure where he's gonna start working, as he's applied and interviewing for jobs in both cities. It's just not a feasible option, our university does not offer a grad program for his major. Sorry about your season.
am1899
Legend
Not to step on @Fabresque toes, but I thought I’d chime in from my perspective as a former D1 player, a current D3 assistant coach and also someone who strings and customizes racquets at a retail shop:
I am aware of 1 player on our entire team (male and female) who customizes his racquet by adding weight. The rest play stock retail frames.
I wouldn’t describe most of the players as “careful” much less even knowledgeable about strings. Most of them do have a favorite string setup (most play full poly, a couple play poly syn hybrids) and know a tension number that they request - regardless of machine or who strings it (cringe). Most of these players are content to play with a racquet far longer than I would - before having it restrung. There are a few outliers who make sure they have fresh racquets for a match, and overall have their racquets strung more frequently.
It’s fairly common to see the top players in the conference playing customized frames (which I assume are off the shelf retail frames). One of our opponents this season their #1 was using a weighted up Ultra Tour, and the #2 was using a weighted Radical - both having obvious, huge strips of lead on the sides of the hoop. I suspect players like that are probably quite a bit more attentive (and perhaps meticulous) to stringing, than most of our players are.
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