What does it take to become a high level tennis player? What does it take to become nationally ranked? What does it take to have college coaches get interested in you?

 

Over the Thanksgiving Holiday, Coach Jack Newman traveled with a number of Austin Tennis Academy students to a L2 National tournament in Irvine, CA. (There are 5 levels of tournaments that count toward a national ranking, Superchamp Major Zones are level 4 or 5)

 

 

In order to get national ranking points, you have to get into national level tournaments and then do well at those tournaments. Hunter travelled to Irvine not knowing whether he would get into the tournament or not. He was the #1 on-site alternate as of the start of the tournament. There were 32 matches in the main draw (64 players). 31 matches had been put on court by 11am on Thursday morning and Hunter’s name had not been called. However, the 32nd match proved to be the magic one for Hunter. There was a no-show and suddenly Hunter went from #1 cheerleader for his ATA teammates to active tournament participant in the blink of an eye. Hunter did the most with his opportunity winning two rounds in the main draw and then a round in the back draw before losing to ATA teammate Jeff Offerdahl.

 

In order to move up in national ranking, you have to put yourself in a position to do well. Hunter put himself in position to be the tournament, with no guarantees. Hunter’s parents paid for him to go to an out of state tournament (plane fare, hotel, rental car, % of coaches expenses, etc) to give him the opportunity with no guarantees. It was very possible that Hunter could have gone to California and not played a match. But had he stayed home, he would have given himself zero chance to play, to win and to move up.

 

This willingness to put yourself out there, with no guarantees on the outcome, is one of the most important elements in becoming an accomplished player. Hunter also prepared well for this event. As part of the ATA education program, Hunter has practiced twice a day, once at afternoon Academy practice, and once early in the morning prior to school starting. These extra workouts allowed him to be more than ready to compete at the Boys 18s national level.

 

Also travelling to the L2 National event were Jeff Offerdahl, Aaron Chaffee, Taylor Shamshiri and visiting player Grayson Broaddus from Dallas. Each of these players won matches that moved them up in the national rankings.

 

While Jeff and Aaron have already signed national letters of intent for college, Taylor is still in the process of choosing a school. These results will help him in this process as well.

 

It takes a lot of hard work, discipline and sacrifice to make it to the national level. It takes perseverance to become accomplished at that level.