Why College Tennis?
Tennis is one of the most difficult sports for progressing to the professional level and one of the most common reasons for failure is the lack of funding. Playing college tennis in the USA is a great way to continue to develop as a player while getting a university degree at the same time.
On top of everything else, student-athletes learn to work and thrive in a team environment, which alters and shapes them into well-rounded, unselfish, team-oriented, and driven individuals. These qualities will help you be successful, whether on or off the court.
Scholarships
There are about 1,150 universities (Women) and 1000 universities (Men) that offer a tennis program in the USA. Depending on your level, you can receive up to a full scholarship that covers; tuition, rent, living expenses, and sometimes even attractive pocket money. In addition to ranking, ratings, and results, college tennis coaches use the Universal Tennis Rating system to determine what scholarship to give. UTR is a global rating system that is calculated by an algorithm using a player’s last 30 eligible match scores from the last 12 months. For more information about UTR https://universaltennis.com
In addition to tennis scholarships, an athlete can qualify for academic scholarships (through grades and test scores) and international scholarships. It is possible to get a combination of the different types of scholarships.
The following items can be covered by a scholarship:
Tuition
vary from $10000,- to $65000,-
Training gear
Room&Board
Insurance
It is mandatory to have health insurance and some schools require international students to take a school’s policy.
Books
Spending money
How are practice and season structured?
The training schedule is characterized by high intensity and the coaching staff often includes several assistants and athletic coaches. The daily training sessions on the court are supplemented with numerous strength and endurance workouts. You will get, amongst other things, personalized training gear with your school’s logo and have access to top-class facilities and resources like physiotherapy, weight rooms, and more.
Most teams have about 8-12 players, and a college tennis match consists of two rounds of matches: three doubles followed by six singles matches, so there is always a winner. Universities are divided into conferences (usually consisting of 8-14 other teams) that are mostly chosen based on similar locations. At the end of the regular season (approximately 18 games), the top-ranked teams from their conference will qualify for the conference tournament in which you can qualify for the National knockout tournament.
Overview of an academic year
The Fall semester (often referred to as off-season) is used to prepare intensively for the coming Spring season. Unlike most other sports in the USA, you can also compete as an individual in tournaments during the first part of the off-season. From October to December, you will spend a lot of time in the gym and on the court to get in shape for the season.
Showtime! – The season begins with pre-season matches followed by conference matches. During the season, you practice almost every day of the week and play 1 to 2 matches per week. If your team has done well in the regular season, it can qualify for “post-season competition” and continues in tournament mode until the National Championship played in May.
Summer break – There is a possibility to stay in The USA and take summer classes or work in camps. Most students decide to go back to their families to enjoy the 2.5 month break to rest and individual preparation for pre-season.
Day in the life of a student-athlete
Tennis & academics are 100% coordinated, so you have the opportunity to excel on both the tennis court as well as in the classroom.
6:30
Weight/conditioningget ready for the
weight/conditioning training.
7:45
Shower/BreakfastShower and then have breakfast with teammates or friends in one of the dining facilities on the college campus.
8:30
Classes11:45
LunchLunch with teammates and friends, again at one of the various food halls available on campus using your prepaid ‘meal plan’ card.
12:30
Classes14:30
PracticeArrive at the training room to prepare for practice. You may get stretched out or taped by an athletic trainer (physiotherapist)
17:30
Recover/Shower/Dinner19:00
Study/LeisureTime to get some studying or homework done. When other sports teams are in action, a good college athlete supports their fellow athletes! The rest of the evening is your own!
Did you know?
- A typical college tennis match consists of three doubles matches followed by six singles matches. There is always a winner.
- On-court coaching is allowed.
- Matches are played with the “no-ad rule” and net serves are played.
- Made scholarships was the first one to organize a Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) tournament in Switzerland. These events are often attended and/or monitored by college tennis coaches who are recruiting players.
- Made founder Dennis den Boer played college tennis for Berry College.
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