College Tennis

College tennis might not be the word on the street when it comes to college sports, but there are many junior tennis players that dream of the college tennis opportunity. Some kids practice really hard everyday with the idea of becoming professionals or being the best they can be, but for some out there, the ultimate goal is to get a full athletic scholarship to go to college in America.

I remember when I was trying to get my tennis scholarship, VHS was still alive and we were not all aware of the advantages of YouTube. Coaches don't always have scholarships available, so starting your search ahead of time is vital, and so it is keeping your mind open to different schools.

Be realistic of who you are as a tennis player. Do your homework as far as the different tennis conferences there are, is your level suited for Division I or Division II?

These are a few tips to start your search:

Network with people that are currently playing college tennis, or that had done it in the past. They could be really helpful if there was to be an opening on their team!

Write a list of your recent tennis activity. Some of your highlights, your style of play. Doubles will score you some bonus points. Explore the option of using YouTube to post a small video playing tennis. A lot of coaches check it regularly and it has really become one of the quickest and affordable ways to show your skills to coaches out there.

Don't write an essay on how bad you want a scholarship, or how much you need one. Remember something is expected of you as well. So almost like you are applying for a job, like you are selling yourself, make sure you express how you will be an asset for the team.

Follow up and make sure you keep up-to-date with the team results.

If you are a foreign tennis player, inform yourself about all the paperwork requirements, don't leave things to last minute, find out about SAT and TOEFL scores required for you to be admitted in each school you applied. Not all schools have the same test requirements.

Arrange a visit to different schools if you have the time. It is a great way to see the town, meet the team and picture ahead!