So, how far can I get in my tennis "career"?

[KBlade]

I'm a high school kid who's never played in a tournament. I've been playing recreationally for about 4 years, that means hitting for a few hours per month with my dad. I started learning how to play tennis by going to lessons for a few months, then quit. My interest in tennis really peaked about a year and a half ago, and that's when I started taking it seriously. I started taking lessons (again), and practiced nearly every day.

Currently I'm on my school's varsity team. Next year I'll be going to be a community college for 2 years, then transferring to some college (hopefully a good one). I intend on playing tennis in my community college. But I feel like once I'm at an actual university, that's when all those years of tournaments/lessons shine. That's when all those experienced kids who've been playing tournaments since childhood get into their D1 schools and compete.

I intend on playing some USTA tournaments, but since I've never played, I feel like I'm going to get slaughtered. I think most people there at my age (18) are very experienced and good.

I'm just wondering, how far can I get in tennis? Let's assume I play very well throughout my high school season, you know, improving a lot and getting a sense of competitive play. Then I play well in my community college, and playing in some tournaments as well. Then once I get into a university, then what?

 

[CoachingMastery]

Depending on what part of the country you are in, your perception of tennis will vary greatly, thus your perception of how far YOU can go will vary greatly.

There is a vast chasim between varsity level players in one area or one state compared to say varsity level players in another. I coached in Southern California at one of the most competitive high schools there; when I moved to Arizona, (a decent tennis state), I watched the boy's state championships and honestly, not one of the top 4 players would have made my J.V. team in California.

That said, I encourage you to study tennis. If you can, head to California or Florida or Texas, and watch a USTA junior tournament especially from the quarterfinals on. This will give you a much better understanding of what levels exist among similar juniors at the highest level.

But, even if you don't compare to these players, you should not be discouraged to strive to be as good as you can become. There is no limit for a player who has reasonable athleticism, who has desire, dedication, drive and discipline, who is willing to sacrifice time to the sport, in reaching very high levels of play.

I've worked with boys and girls who started playing as late as 14 and many went on to become ranked players by the time they were 18, get college scholarships, etc. The key of course, is to learn to play within patterns that resemble advanced play, effective and consistent shot making skills; emulate top-level players--but, at speeds that you can maintain the emulation. Too many kids try to emulate but try to emulate the SPEED of the stroke. That would be like trying to play Flight of the Bumblebee on the piano after a month of lessons at full speed! You won't be very successful!

Unlike many here, those who discourage players from dreaming, from striving, from believing, take it from someone who has coached thousands and who has seen example after example of players who did indeed reach extrodinary levels...because they didn't let the naysayers sway them into failure.

Good luck and maintain your passion.

 

[Expired]

Gah.. Wish I had started as early as you. -___-
I guess it really all depends on your coaching, ability to learn, and skill at sports..

I've only been playing for 6 months or so and I feel like I can go pretty far, I just have to do it in double time since I just turned 20. All I need now is a coach. :O


Everyone is different.. I know a lot of people that have played for several years and don't show much improvement, or will probably never be that good because.. they don't have the motor skills?? Not really sure how to put it.
Some people have the skill set for sports, other people don't have the coordination needed and just don't look natural? Not trying to hate on anybody out there, just a fact of life.

 

[Hot Sauce]

I'm gonna go with at least 16 grand slams.

 

[abenguyen]

I'm gonna go with at least 16 grand slams.

im going with 15, some slacking off may occur, or someone like nadal may get in his way

 

[J-man]

I don't know how good you are but you could very well play in college, depending on where you transfer too. Just keep up the good work you started late but anything can happen.

 

[goober]

There is a vast chasim between varsity level players in one area or one state compared to say varsity level players in another. I coached in Southern California at one of the most competitive high schools there; when I moved to Arizona, (a decent tennis state), I watched the boy's state championships and honestly, not one of the top 4 players would have made my J.V. team in California.

.

I am curious how long ago you coached in AZ. I have been loosely following AZ junior tennis the last couple years. The top 4 players in the state are usually D1 prospects and many in that group have had top 100 National rankings. I am pretty sure the current group of top players could make the varsity at any high school in California.

 

[CoachingMastery]

I am curious how long ago you coached in AZ. I have been loosely following AZ junior tennis the last couple years. The top 4 players in the state are usually D1 prospects and many in that group have had top 100 National rankings. I am pretty sure the current group of top players could make the varsity at any high school in California.

This was 18 years ago when I coached in Arizona. I actually took the #4 ranked junior in the southwest USTA division to CA with me the year after I left CA.

I had him play this one CA kid...they had a good hitting match but the CA kid beat him 6-1. My AZ kid came to me after the match, pretty happy with the way he played, and asked me, "Coach, is that your number one kid?"

I hesitated then said, "Yes....He is my #1 Junior Varsity player."

It humbled the AZ kid, realizing he only got one game off a JV player from my CA team.

I know that there are a number of much higher ranked kids today in AZ...but the numbers are just not there. Where there might be a dozen kids that are highly ranked it thins out compared to the thousands of kids in CA who are not ranked there but would handle the AZ kids for the most part.

I don't say this to diss the AZ tennis programs...it is just the numbers: In CA there are over 1500 high schools in just the southern section of CIF...of these there are probably 200 or 300 schools with solid tennis programs and good coaching. In Arizona, there are only about 200 high schools, of which only a dozen or so have a good tennis program.

In CA, there are so many tournaments all within 20 or 30 miles of each other. In AZ (and in Utah where I am now) there are so pitiful few tournaments to keep kids sharp and keep the motivation there, and most of those are 2 or 3 hours drive away.

That all being said, I believe that ANY kid ANY where can reach high levels of skilled play. The key to make the next step is that they need to play a lot of competitive tournaments to make use of those skilled abilities.

 

[goober]

In CA, there are so many tournaments all within 20 or 30 miles of each other. In AZ (and in Utah where I am now) there are so pitiful few tournaments to keep kids sharp and keep the motivation there, and most of those are 2 or 3 hours drive away.

I am not really involved in junior tennis so I don't care one way or they other. I don't doubt that overall socal has a much stronger tennis scene than AZ. But I suspect the junior tennis currently in AZ is much stronger than it was 18 years ago.

When I look at the tournament schedule for juniors there are literally tournaments every weekend of the year for juniors, sometimes more than one tournament. All of these are within the greater phoenix area.

 

[CoachingMastery]

I am not really involved in junior tennis so I don't care one way or they other. I don't doubt that overall socal has a much stronger tennis scene than AZ. But I suspect the junior tennis currently in AZ is much stronger than it was 18 years ago.

When I look at the tournament schedule for juniors there are literally tournaments every weekend of the year for juniors, sometimes more than one tournament. All of these are within the greater phoenix area.

I have no doubt that tennis in AZ is much stronger than it was 18 years ago. However, Arizona is a big state and all those tournaments in the greater Phoenix area can be hours drive from other areas of the state: Prescott, Flag, Tuscon, etc., The Phoenix Tennis Center, the Peoria Tennis center, and others are great facilities that offer great programs. It is just that there are so many fewer tennis teams (high school) to help develop the depth of tennis.

There are, I'm sure, many juniors today that travel extensively to gain this competitive experience. However, these are few in relative numbers. The fact that tens of thousands of kids in say Southern California, or Atlanta Georgia, and Houston Texas, etc., get the same competitive depth right in their own backyards, so to speak.

I left some really great players when I moved from AZ in 1997. But, I have not been back since and I'm sure that the growth of tennis there, much like we have seen in the Vegas area, has been significant.

 

[10isDad]

I am not really involved in junior tennis so I don't care one way or they other. I don't doubt that overall socal has a much stronger tennis scene than AZ. But I suspect the junior tennis currently in AZ is much stronger than it was 18 years ago.

When I look at the tournament schedule for juniors there are literally tournaments every weekend of the year for juniors, sometimes more than one tournament. All of these are within the greater phoenix area.

I would disagree with that last statement. Because there are different levels of tournaments, I would say that even though players from Phoenix make up the majority of southwest players, more of the important tournaments are held in Tucson. This is also a numbers game. Tucson has 3 individual facilities with over 20 courts, two of which have over 30 courts. In Phoenix, only Surprise has that many courts.

The most important junior tournament of the year has been moved to Albuquerque this year - which makes no sense to most since Albuquerque makes up less than 15% of the junior players. The board used the excuse that it was due to the extreme heat in Tucson, but they moved the Tanoan Sweet 16 from Albuquerque to Tucson and that tournament is 1 or 2 weeks earlier - same 'hotness' and the Sweet 16 tourneys are physically more challenging.

 

[10isDad]

\I don't say this to diss the AZ tennis programs...it is just the numbers: In CA there are over 1500 high schools in just the southern section of CIF...of these there are probably 200 or 300 schools with solid tennis programs and good coaching. In Arizona, there are only about 200 high schools, of which only a dozen or so have a good tennis program.
...

That all being said, I believe that ANY kid ANY where can reach high levels of skilled play. The key to make the next step is that they need to play a lot of competitive tournaments to make use of those skilled abilities.

Well stated - very similar to the comments I made at

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?p=3158526#post3158526