Alumni Update: Annika Pandey Checks In From UChicago

Hi everyone!

My name is Annika Pandey and I am a first-year at the University of Chicago. We have just finished our 5th week of classes and midterm exams. Tennis is in “offseason”, which means we no longer have official practice with our coaches, but we do have “captain’s practices” and lifts with our trainer. During our fall season, we played two tournaments, one in Rhode Island and one in Michigan, our ITA Regionals. Overall, my college experience has been really great so far.

One thing I want to talk about is sacrifice. As a student-athlete, I know all of you are already familiar with this concept, but sacrifice has become a huge part of my life in college. I have so many responsibilities I need to take care of on a daily basis. In college, you will find that you have school and tennis to take care of, which in my opinion, should be your top priorities. Then you have extracurricular activities and clubs, social life, career advancement opportunities, and sleep and mental/physical health to consider as well. There are not enough hours in the day or days in the week to do everything you have to or want to do. You are going to have to make sacrifices on a daily basis in order to do what’s best for you or your team. When I first got to UChicago, I didn’t understand this. I thought I would be able to do everything I wanted or had to do. I tried to do everything and I ended up exhausted, stressed, and unhappy, while not even accomplishing what I wanted. Now that I’ve acclimated to college life, I get that I can’t do everything. It is so so important to have your priorities straight and use your time efficiently and effectively.

A piece of advice I have for y’all as you prepare for college is to develop strong communication skills. I cannot stress enough how important it is to be an effective communicator. Learning to communicate with others can literally change your entire college experience. Whether it’s communicating with professors or TAs (become friends with your TAs!! They grade everything in your classes and basically control your fate), coaches, or students, you can open so many doors for yourself. One thing I’ve learned at UChicago is that your ability to communicate and make connections with people is just as and sometimes more important than your grades. The relationships you build now could end up getting you an incredible internship over the summer that translates into a job post-graduation.

The final thing I want to say is to appreciate what you have right now. When I was in high school I couldn’t wait to go to college, move away from home, and be independent. While college is awesome, it’s a whole different ball game. It can be really hard at first when you don’t have a support system around you to help you through tough times. The ATA community is so supportive, and I think you’ll find that when you go to college, you won’t have the same environment to rely on all the time. School is really hard, tennis is a demanding time commitment, and everything else going on can really take a toll on you. You’ll learn to juggle everything eventually, but it’s definitely a struggle at first. Be grateful for everything you have right now because it’s all definitely very special and finite. College is kind of like being thrown into the deep end of a pool where you have to learn to swim with little or no help from others. I promise once you learn to swim it’ll be so fun and great and an incredible experience though!!

I would love to answer any questions anyone has about college or the college process so please feel free to contact me if you want to talk!

Best,

Annika Pandey

Pictures From The Courts and The Classrooms

Below are a few recent pictures from ATA College Prep tennis practices and classes. To see many more, head over to our social media pages! Links at the bottom:

Juan gets set for a forehand. Later in this point, he hit a perfect tweener – camera guy wasn’t ready, though…

Sydney locks in on a backhand.

The English I students focus on an in-class writing assignment.

Kaylee and Harrison…and a lizard.

To see more tennis photos, click here!

To see more photos from classes and around campus, click here!

Alumni Update: Hannah Harrod Checks In From George Mason

Hi Coach Newman,

I hope you are doing well. I just wanted to send a quick update.

I’m not going to lie, college started off a little rocky for me. Being so far away from home made it hard to adjust, but once school and tennis started time has flown by. I can’t believe it’s already been 7 weeks since I’ve been here. I’ve already made so many new friends and I love my team.

From my time at ATA, and my year having around 12 girls, it has really prepared me for my college team. I’ve learned how to deal with certain situations and in college that have really helped me. My college team brought in some drama from last year, and from being new it was hard to find my place at first. Before our first tournament the team vibe was not positive and I knew I had to stand up for our team. I reached out and made it a point that we are going to have a great year if we endlessly support each other which will then give ourselves the best chance we have. I was nervous to stand up and say something because I’m a Freshman, but ATA taught me how to be a leader and how to make a difference.

For the younger teammates to prepare for college I would say to come in knowing who you are. As you enter in this new place, you get to start all over. No one knows you from high school or your past. So, knowing your morals and values are very important in defining yourself. You have to be strong in who you are because you don’t have that safety net to fall back on like you do at home with your friends.

In high school trying to juggle school, tennis, and friends was complicated, but it taught me how to manage my time. College is all about time management, and thanks to high school and ATA I am able to manage my time very well. Also, ATA’s fitness is way harder than any of my college workouts have been so far. Having dedicated fitness coaches who know what is best for a tennis player is something rare. In saying that, do not take for granted what ATA is providing you with. Thank you Coach Josh and Coach Dio for helping mold us into strong athletes. In college our trainer does not really take our workouts that seriously or know the best things for us to do as tennis players which is unfortunate.

If I could do something different as a Junior to prepare myself better for college tennis I would of not put so much pressure on myself with results or ranking. In college no one cares about your junior results or what tournaments you won when you were 15. What matters is how you fight for your team, not just for yourself. Now you are playing for something much bigger than yourself and you have the responsibility of competing for your school and your team.

GO PATS!!!

Thank you and I hope everyone is doing well!!

Joyfully,
Hannah Harrod

Alumni Update: Synclair Larson Checks In From Northern Colorado

Hi Coach Newman and ATA,

Hope everyone is doing well. Coach Newman has asked us to write about tips we would give for college and what we would do differently to prepare. I am currently halfway through my first semester of college and let me start with this. Whoever says the first week of college is fun lied. Being in a  new place with new people I would be lying if I told you the first week that I was here I didn’t cry on the phone to Coach John. He told me it was all going to work out and yet again he was right. I now consider my teammates my best friends and I can’t imagine myself anywhere else.

One thing I have noticed in college is communication is very important. Communicating with your professors about missed classes and makeup work is a skill that is very necessary in order to stay on top of your school work. Time management and keeping track of classes are also very important. With a given schedule of what is due for the whole semester in the first week, it is your job to stay on top of dates and what you need to get done.

A throwback of Synclair to 2013

As for tennis we just finished our fall season and coming up on off season in a few weeks. ATA has done a great job with teaching how to be an accountable teammate. On my team, if someone is late or not wearing the correct uniform we are all held accountable. College is a lot of fun and freedom, but you get out exactly what you put in whether its school or tennis it’s all on you. If you are deciding between playing college tennis or not I would say do it! Although sometimes it is difficult I have made so many friends by being a student athlete and my team has become a second family to me.

I am beyond happy with my life here at Northern Colorado and I would love to hear from you!

Best,

Synclair

ATACP US Gov, History Students Turn Courts into Colonies

The ATA College Prep juniors and seniors in U.S. Government teamed up with the middle-school U.S. History students to participate in a cooperative learning activity last Friday. Students were given a territory and resources in order to form a colony – their objective was to accumulate enough resources, through negotiations and trade with other colonies, for their colony to thrive.

Older and younger students were paired together, and students were given 45 minutes to complete their mission.  Obstacles to overcome were distance, time, shortage of certain resources, and aggression from neighboring colonies.

“The activity was a fun way to access the topics we’ve been talking and reading about in Gov and English while getting out of the classroom and moving around,” said junior Alex Sheddan.

ATACP US Government teacher Jennifer McEwan led the students through the exercise and found it to be a successful learning experience for them.

“This simulation gave students an active, hands-on opportunity to cooperate, negotiate, and problem solve.  At the conclusion, parallels were drawn to the colonial experience in the United States and the obstacles of post-revolutionary America.  Students enthusiastically participated and had fun while learning!”

ATA College Prep Ahead of the Curve with Student Voter Registration

Each Friday in Leadership, the first class of the ATA College Prep school day that includes all students, the group gathers to discuss current events and selections from the recent news cycle. Led by Math and Science Lead Bryan Rutherford, the students have recently unpacked things like the roles and responsibilities of serving on a jury, the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, the wide variety of elected offices on the local, state, and national level, and the nearly 30 year struggle of Macedonia.

 

In the weeks leading up to the election, Mr. Rutherford uses parts of Leadership for a seminar called ‘Educated Voter’, where all CP students 17 years and 10 months go through the process of registering to vote and learning some of the foundational information necessary to become active, informed voters.

 

Keith Ingram, Director of the Elections Division of the Office of the Secretary of State, recently praised ATA College Prep for being ‘ahead of the curve’ with seminars like these, weekly cultural events meetings in Leadership, and even providing transportation to the polls during Early Voting and on Election Day.

 

Ingram’s office is currently increasing their push to educate and register first-time voters, and Mr. Rutherford is on board.

 

“I’ve heard it said that a democratic system ensures that a nation gets exactly the government that it deserves,” Rutherford said. “Our system only works if citizens participate actively by getting informed about the issues and candidates and then showing up to vote. People have fought and died for the right to have a say in the government of their communities, and it’s pretty sad that most Texans eligible to vote don’t bother to turn out for most of our elections. At ATACP we are working to raise engaged, responsible citizens who take ownership of their communities at every level, and one of the ways I do that is by holding seminars for the seventeen- and eighteen-year-old students about upcoming elections and registering them to vote, as Texas says all secondary schools are required to do (though most don’t). I also talk the kids through civics in our weekly discussions of current events so that they can connect things they may hear adults talking about to their lives and futures and start to see how politics affects them.”

 

Midterm Elections will take place Tuesday, November 6, 2018, with Early Voting beginning Monday, October 22, 2018. The final day to register to vote in that election is Tuesday, October 9, 2018. Want to know what will be on your ballot? Visit www.VoteTexas.gov

 

Seven ATA Alumni Named ITA Scholar Athletes

Seven Austin Tennis Academy alumni and current standout college students, four of whom graduated from ATA College Prep, earned Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete status as part of the 2018 ITA All-Academic Awards.

In order to earn ITA Scholar-Athlete status a player must meet the following criteria: 1.) be a varsity letter winner, 2.) have a grade point average of at least 3.50 (on a 4.00 scale) for the current academic year, and 3.) have been enrolled at their present school for at least 2 semesters (including freshman through senior year).

Congratulations to the seven ATA grads and current ITA Scholar-Athletes!

Marcus Sweeney – Wesleyan University

Daniela Alvarez – Wesleyan University

Abigail Chiu – Dartmouth College

Chase Bartlett – St. Edward’s University

Pablo Landa – University of Illinois

Alejandro Rodriguez – University of Chicago

Maggie O’Meara – Utah State University

 

15th Annual ATA End-of-Year Party

Last night, the ATA community came together at the Malashev home to celebrate another year of growth, to recognize the standouts from within, and to look back on the events of the year. If you missed the event or want to take another look, here are some pictures of the speakers and award winners from throughout the evening, as well as the video presentation that closed out the night.

Coach Of The Year – Carol Hagar

Parent Of The Year – Sheri Gordon

Most Improved Award – Sasha M, Christina G, Clark W, Jett W, Sklar P

Mentor Award – Kristin K, Abigail G

Student-Athlete Award – Annika P, Jett H, Larry L, Shriniket M

Sarah S, Savannah B (not pictured)

Ambassador Award – Juan A, Callie C, Harrison C, Hannah H (not pictured) 

Work Ethic Award – Argun W, Caroline W, Larry L, Sydney W, Bailey F

Competitor Award – Callie C, Sophia M

Force Multiplier Leadership Award – Kristin, Callie, Annika, Bailey 

MVP Award – Kristin, Juan, Callie, Bailey 

This, along with a few others, are staple events in the ATA calendar that not only build community but provides yet another opportunity for our students to grow by practicing something that makes them it often uncomfortable: public speaking.

 

Gallery Notice : Images have either not been selected or couldn't be found

The evening finished with a video presentation that highlighted ATA’s original commitment to A Glimmer of Hope as well as the Walk For Water that some ATA student’s put on at our facility. Take a look:

The nightcap was our annual slideshow, featuring action shots from the year and pictures from many of the annual events. Take a look:

 

Upcoming Schedule, Events Around ATA

The school year is winding down, the weather is heating up, and Texas Sectionals ‘Summer Grand Slam’ is only a few short weeks away. Students at ATA College Prep and elsewhere are busy taking exams, giving final presentations, and putting finishing touches on papers. At the same time, they are logging crucial practice hours in preparation for the biggest junior tournament in Texas tennis.

While a rich and varied time of year for parents, student-athletes, and staff alike, it is also very full! So, here is some information to help keep track of what is happening around ATA.

  • MAY 29-31 – FINALS WEEK AT ATA COLLEGE PREP

  • JUNE 4 – ATA COLLEGE PREP GRADUATION – Check the ATA website for more details soon!

  • JUNE 7 – ATA END-OF-YEAR ACADEMY AWARDS PARTY (5-9pm) – RSVP to Liss Weinhold at lisa.weinhold@austintennisacademy.com

  • JUNE 4-8 – SUMMER GRAND SLAM TENNIS CAMP (superchamp only) 

  • JUNE 11 – THE FIRST OF 9 WEEKS OF TENNIS CAMPS BEGIN AT ATA – Camps for all ages and levels begin this week. Click the link above to learn more!

See you at the courts!

Meet ATA College Prep’s Math and Science Lead Bryan Rutherford

“…teaches us with engagement and love…”

“…ensures that we understand the knowledge…”

“…makes his classes accessible and fun…”

“…has a genuine passion for the classes he teaches.”

“…an amazing science teacher…”

“…will always make time to explain things to you…”

Bryan Rutherford, ATA College Prep’s Math and Science Lead, has spent his life learning and helping others learn. From west Texas to Rice University, to Oakland and Austin, Bryan tirelessly soaks up what he can about the world and shares it with those around him.

“I have always been curious, and I’ve always really liked for things to make sense and be comprehensible,” Bryan said. “Galileo said something to the effect that “Nature is an open book, written by God, in the language of mathematics,” and that’s what appeals about the sciences to me: rigorous observation and mathematical description make the workings of the world around us understandable.”

Bryan grew up reading novels and history while playing competitive tennis as an only child in Odessa, Texas. After competing on the varsity team for his high school and reaching USTA SuperChamps, Bryan put down the racquet indefinitely and focused on school.

He graduated from his 6A high school as valedictorian, while taking fourteen AP tests along the way: English Language, English Literature, US History, European History, US Government, Microeconomics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics B, Physics C (Mechanics), Physics C (E&M), Calculus AB, Calculus BC, and Computer Science A.

“I’ve always been interested in science and engineering, but I’ve also always been interested in literature and history and lots of other things,” Bryan said. “I’d say I got the most encouragement in studying science growing up, and that sort of directed me toward college studies in scientific fields.”

For his college studies, Bryan chose Rice University in Houston. Beyond wanting to stay in Texas, Bryan liked that Rice offers the most academically rigorous undergraduate program in Texas and has a strong tradition of multiple majors.

“The most outstanding part of college in retrospect might be the community of other engaged, curious people who want to have conversations about ideas and pursue their interests deeply.”

Bryan graduated with a B.S in physics and chemistry and a B.A. in literature. He quickly transitioned into a role with Teach For America, teaching math in a public charter secondary school in Oakland, California.

“[Those two years] forced me to learn to manage a classroom and develop curriculum, and it was a good way to learn about the challenges of educating kids from backgrounds very different from my own. In my school in Oakland I got some really good professional guidance from my department head that helped me to develop my manner and attitude as a teacher, and I found that it could be a very rewarding profession.”

In 2010 the state of California’s budget was collapsing, and Bryan’s school needed to lay off some faculty. He’d always intended to eventually move back to Texas, and he had recently gotten into a long-distance relationship with the woman he’s now married to (who was still in Texas).

“So, I made the staff cuts a little easier for my school by resigning and moving to Austin, where Shaela [his now wife] was enrolling in UT to pursue her Master’s in art education,” Bryan said.

Once back in Texas, he did some freelance teaching and tutoring for a year, working at Austin Community College and with a homeschool co-op, where he worked with Marlene Yousef, who taught at ATA College Prep for a number of years.

“Marlene introduced me and Carol, and I started tutoring here in the spring of 2011 and teaching classes that fall,” Bryan said.

Bryan didn’t always know he’d want to be a teacher professionally, but he’s always tutored his classmates and peers. As an upperclassman in college he worked for Rice’s Office of Academic Advising as a Peer Academic Advisor, giving content tutoring and study and scheduling advice to underclassmen (he also occupied a similar role at his residential college), and he worked for three years as a teaching assistant in the Japanese department tutoring first- and second-year students.

“I presume that Teach For America headhunted me based on those experiences because they recruited me during my senior year. I had found that I really enjoyed working with other students as a tutor, and I was already interested in the Peace Corps and Americorps, so I gave Teach For America a try.”

These days, Bryan is midway through his 7th year with ATA College Prep leading the Math and Science departments. He lives in South Austin with his wife, Shaela, who teaches Art at ATACP, and his two daughters, Ena and Naomi.

While he has made a profession out of passing along what he has learned and how to learn it, he, too, is still exploring.

“One of my main hobbies in recent years is writing and improving articles for Wikipedia; I’ve mostly worked on scientific and historical topics and Austin landmarks. I might spend a free afternoon researching and writing an encyclopedia article on an interesting topic that doesn’t have good coverage yet. I also enjoy reading novels and taking long walks by Town Lake, when I can.”

ATACP Alumni Update: Chase Bartlett Checks in From SEU

Throughout the year, the recent ATA graduates send Coach Newman updates of what is happening in their lives in the classroom, on the court, and around campus. Below is a note from ATA College Prep grad and current St. Edward’s University sophomore Chase Bartlett. This one stood out to Coach Newman:

“From time to time I like to share communications that I received from our former students,” Coach Newman said. “I wanted to share this communication with you because I think it is exactly what we are trying to have our students become through their involvement in tennis. His enthusiasm for life, his willingness to put himself out there, and his Drive are all infectious.”

 

Hi Coach Newman,
I hope this email finds you well. I just wanted to reach out and update you on what’s been going on lately. I think in the last update I sent I told you that I felt things weren’t as challenging as I thought they could be, and that I wanted to add two minors and start doing more things around campus.
Firstly, be careful what you ask for! Haha. This semester has been excruciating at times—I’m taking 7 classes and have become much more involved. I am now a member of Alpha Phi Omega, the nation-wide co-ed service fraternity (and the only athlete in my local chapter, I believe). I have been elected president of St. Edward’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), which means that I now have the opportunity to start new initiatives on campus (some events that, executively, I can make mandatory for all teams). Coach Strecker and I are very excited about this and think that we can find some really cool ways to improve the relationships between the athletic teams on campus, as well as finding some big-picture service ideas that could make a difference in the local community. In DII, SAAC also has the ability to vote directly on NCCA rules and play a big role in the legislative process. It’s a pretty cool position, and I’ll be sure to keep you updated on how things change.
Other than being more involved with SAAC and APO, I was also selected to present research I did in the fall at the University of Houston for a research conference, which was a cool experience. Other work I did from fall is being published in the ’17-18 edition of our school’s academic journal (Arete). This is something that I am happy about since only 5-ish people are published per academic year. I’ll try to send you a copy of it as soon as they are published. I have also become a member of Theta Kappa Alpha, the Honors Society for Religious and Theological Studies, and believe that I will be named in the fall a member of the Honors Society for Germanic Studies. I received Outstanding Student of the Year Award for German, along with one of my other teammates.
The best academic highlight of my year was receiving the Summer Academic Excellence Award, which is a scholarship allowing me to study abroad in Germany for two months at Freie Universität Berlin, a school ranked top-75 in the world. I am going to take two language intensive courses there and one course on German culture, which I find really interesting. I am SUPER excited about this, because I’ve wanted to study abroad really badly since my first day on campus, but didn’t think I was going to have time while still playing tennis.
 Tennis has also been going well. I been fighting 1-2 injuries this season, but haven’t had to take much time off. Our schedule has also been incredibly intense, and we’ve got a lot of matchplay in. I was ranked as high as #23 a few weeks ago in singles (I’m not sure what I am right now), and have played line-1 singles and doubles every match. We were the Conference Regular Season champs (basically, we won against everyone in our conference before our big tournament). AND, as I’m writing, we’re on our way back from TCU, where we just won the conference tournament!!! We beat St. Mary’s, our rival, 5-2. Luis and I won doubles against a team ranked top 10 in the nation, who we have lost to the other 3 times we played them.
Going to St. Edward’s, I couldn’t understand that a DII conference title would be something worth being excited about; after all, it’s not even nationals, let alone a D1 national championship. Let me just say: that lack of understanding has vanished, along with St. Mary’s hopes of a conference title. I have never felt more satisfied after a win than I did today, and for so many reasons. First, in my freshman year, we were down 1-2 or 0-3 after doubles in literally 95{37ef6ac642fae6f93f343032eb62785d28fa7a25a4a4f0267a12512c541c53a9} of our matches. We worked so hard to improve our doubles skills as a team over the past year, and today—when we needed it the most—we went up 3-0. It was not luck. Secondly, when you spend two years training with one specific thing in mind (more specifically, a thing that you haven’t been able to get), you’ll find yourself pretty happy with all the excruciating work you’ve put in with your teammates when no one else was watching. Third, and finally, you will recognize how much your DII conference title means when you finish celebrating with your teammates and see your coach 3 courts down with watery eyes (some would say “crying,” but I don’t know how he’d feel about me using that vocabulary). I don’t know why, but that was probably one of the best moments of the year. I’ll get emotional just thinking about it.
There are other highlights from the year, but obviously, I can’t write forever. To conclude though, I got what I wanted. I have failed. I don’t know that I will keep my 4.0 or not—but, I have done so much more cool stuff by putting myself out there. I can let myself rest this summer in Europe.
As always, I hope that everything is going well back at the academy and enjoy seeing everyone when we play there. We will have one final match at ATA this weekend—Regionals—and then the winner of that goes to Nationals the following week. I’d love to see everyone there; it’s always great to have y’all’s support!
All the best,
Chase Bartlett

Chinese Language, Arts and Cooking Summer Camps at ATACP

ATA College Prep will host Chinese Language, Arts and Cooking Summer Camps this June and July, provided by Westlake Chinese Academy. The purpose of these camps is to provide an immersive Chinese learning environment for students ages 4-16.

Sessions:

June 18 – June 22  
June 25 – June 29
July 9 – July 13  

Schedule:

Full-day camp: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.  
Morning camp: 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.  
Afternoon camp: 12:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Late pick-up available from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. at additional cost: $20 per person per day

Tuition:  * (including art supplies and cooking materials)

Full Day Camp: $345/week
Morning/Afternoon Camp: $195/week

More Information: http://westlakechineseacademy.org/camp/

Registration: http://westlakechineseacademy.org/camp/

ATACP Alumni Check In – Grayson Broadus On Clinching Matches at Notre Dame

Hello ATA community,

Coach Newman asked me to share what it is like to be in a situation to clinch a match when you are the last match on. For starters, I would like to say that there is really no experience like it before college. It is a privilege as well as a responsibility to be in this situation. My sophomore year I was quite inexperienced as well as immature. I lost two matches that were the last match on so this is a lesson I learned the hard way. The feeling of disappointment is way worse than after any other match you have lost in your career. You have to watch the other team storm the court and wait to shake hands until they are done celebrating. You have also just lost the match for your team and it feels like it is all your fault that the team lost. You have just let down your teammates who are also your closest friends and have worked so hard alongside you day in and day out.

Luckily, this year has been a completely different story. I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to redeem myself. I have clinched two matches being the last match on. These situations were even more difficult because they were against the two teams that I have choked against. This added a lot more stress in the moment because the teams were chanting “just like last year” when I had match points and lost. When people are screaming this at you in between every point it is impossible not to think about when you choked. I had to constantly push the replays of some atrocious mistakes out of my head.

The only way to thrive in the situation is to absolutely embrace the situation. You have the opportunity to be the hero and live the dream of clinching a massive match. In order to do this, you must embrace the moment and externalize rather than internalize. The great part about being on a team is you have 13 other guys you can share with in between every point to get in the right frame of mind. It is absolutely essential to celebrate every point you win by sharing with your teammates. Once you have the right energy and mindset it becomes purely about trusting yourself and your game style. You can’t evaluate yourself on whether you won or lost the last point, rather you have to focus on having a plan for how you want to play each point and be excited to execute that plan over and over again. When you do this, you usually end up on the winning side and that moment when you win is the greatest feeling you will ever experience. That moment when you clinch and watch your teammates run at you and dogpile you is unparalleled. I will remember those moments for the rest of my life.

I would say one of the most valuable skills I learned at ATA were the moments before practice when we would listen to Dr. Valverde tapes. I wish I had taken those moments a bit more seriously and hadn’t slept through them so frequently…. When I get super tight I mutter under my breath “total trust” and remember the funny way Dr. Valverde would say “trust.” Then I take a deep breathe and remind myself how I want to play the next point kind of like how you are supposed to imagine yourself playing points during an alpha…

Good luck to everyone in their next tournament and college careers!

-Grayson

JD Student Carly Krothe Writes About Glimmer, Wins National Award

ATA Junior Development student Carly Krothe was recently awarded 1st place in the USA of all 4th and 5th graders for her essay about A Glimmer of Hope. Carley is a 5th grader at Serene Hills Elementary.

InvestWrite is an innovative, financially based, national writing competition, produced by The Stock Market Game program, that adds a critical thinking component to help reinforce concepts learned in the classroom.

The essay assignment: Imagine you volunteer at a nonprofit organization to manage their money, help it grow and protect it from risk. What would your nonprofit organization support and why is this important to you? How would you invest their money in stocks, bonds, and mutual funds? How would you diversify these investments?

Carly was awarded first place in the nation for Grades 4-5 at Serene Hills Elementary on Monday, February 26. Her first exposure to A Glimmer of Hope and its work came when she participated in a Walk for Water and heard Glimmer founder Donna Berber speak.

Pictures From Around ATA College Prep Recently

While the ATA College Prep students follow rigorous academic and athletic schedules, there is a constant effort to maintain a balance between work and play, strain and rest, focus and relaxation. The last few weeks have been no different.

The group worked to wrap up first semester classes while hitting the group running in the Spring. They’ve also made space for fun-filled trips off campus or lively morning practices before school. Here are a few pictures. To see more, head over to the ATA College Prep Facebook page!

Emerson, Sophia, and Sklar focus on an annotation assignment during Reading Lab.

The English I/II students take down a few notes before a creative writing activity.

Juan explores online academic research databases during a field trip to the new Austin Central Library.

Sophia and Emerson are mesmerized by the yawning lion at the Austin Zoo.

Sasha and her team enjoy a fun, yet competitive game to finish morning practice on Friday before classes. Don’t forget to see more photos of the CP group at our Facebook page!

Captured Moments From The ATA Courts

It’s been a busy stretch at ATA! Below are a few pictures from the courts. To see more pictures, head over to the ATA Facebook page!

Coach Newman offers some positive feedback during a challenging drill.

Sydney runs down the ball and connects with a crosscourt forehand.

Steffi steps into a forehand.

Coach Newman and former student Neil Kenner.

Savannah eyes the open court as she approaches the net.

Matthew leans into a forehand as Juan prepares to serve.

ATA College Prep Visits New Austin Central Library

The ATA College Prep students and teachers traveled to downtown Austin last week to visit the new Austin Central Library to begin research for their latest assignment while touring the incredible new space.

After a brief presentation from a librarian, the students dove into research for their biography assignment titled, Stories of Extraordinary Women. In the process, they had time to explore the library, while taking in the extensive balconies, public art installations and more.

 

Next, the group walked a few blocks into downtown to have some lunch before returning to campus for afternoon classes and practice.

“We had a wonderful time exploring the amazing new library,” ATA CP English teacher Tommy Collins said. “It’s an incredible 6-floor space in the heart of the city, which made for a perfect field trip to kick off our new biography unit.”

  

Check back here for more updates on what’s happening around the ATA College Prep campus.

   

   

ATACP Guest Speaker Series: Michelle Segovia Talks Organ Donation

As part of the ATA College Prep Guest Speaker Series, Michelle Segovia, Communications Director from the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance (TOSA), recently spoke to CP students about saving lives through organ transplants.

“Our (TOSA’s) mission is to save lives through the power of organ donation,” Michelle said. “None of this is possible without the generosity of our donors and their families who are able to see beyond their grief to give life to others.”

Mrs. Segovia’s presentation offered convincing facts, like how 1 person can save 8 lives through organ donation, and that 35 percent of Americans are currently registered as organ donors. She also talked through many misconceptions about organ donation, shared success stories, and answered questions from the group.

“I hope that you are all encouraged to register your decision to donate but also that you’d talk to your family and friends about the decision to register as well,” Segovia said in closing.

To learn more, head over to DonateLifeTx.org. You can visit the Texas Organ Sharing Alliance website by clicking here.

Alumni Updates: Abigail Chiu Checks in From Dartmouth College

Hi Coach Newman and the ATA community!

I just ended my first quarter at Dartmouth College which was filled with many ups and downs, but overall, a very successful first term. Going to college, I had to settle into many new changes that I faced when I first stepped foot on the Dartmouth campus. These changes consisted of constantly meeting new people, adjusting to a newly decorated dorm room, becoming comfortable with my team and coaches, and learning to live on my own for the first time. It was definitely a culture shock and at times extremely hard for me to adjust to. Being so far from my friends and family is hard, but I am glad to say that I am now really happy and enjoying every moment here. While there are similarities with ATA, there are definitely major differences that have surprised me in both good and bad ways. The first thing I will tell you about college tennis is that once you join the team, you are not so special anymore. The special attention that is given to you at ATA no longer exists. You are now part of a group and everything is divided among a dozen other people so with that being said, be a team player.

The first day of practice I learned the hard way. I was playing a point against a senior, missed a shot and told myself not to miss it again. Later that practice, my coach came up to me and told me that next time, I must tell my teammate that she hit a good shot, and I can honestly tell you that it was an extremely embarrassing, and humiliating feeling. After that practice, I cried walking home because I missed my coaches, my friends, and my family. I did not adjust to this new coaching as well as I had hoped, and I had a hard time balancing my success with my team’s success. But at the same moment, I realized that regardless of whether or not I think I am better than the person across the net, I am going to have to put my head down and work to earn my position on the team. The coaches at your college are not going to care if you’re winning every practice match; they care about you being open-minded to their coaching and most importantly, that you’re supporting each and every teammate including the one you’re competing against.

My advice to you is to start now, and every day leading up to your first college practice. This means constantly cheering on your teammates, high fiving them when they do something good, or pumping them up when they need the encouragement. It doesn’t matter if you had a bad day at school, or there’s something on your mind; your coaches and your teammates chose you to be on that team, so you better be the best teammate you can be. College tennis is a whole new sport because now you’re playing for more than just yourself. You are now playing for an entire team, for the pride of your school, and for the many college tennis teams that came before you. Luckily, I learned quickly the importance of team and was able to apply that to my tennis.

Overall, I had a pretty successful first term, winning my region in doubles and being able to compete at nationals in California. It was a big honor for me to represent Dartmouth at the national level, and a feeling I will never forget. College tennis is something amazing but it’s just one component of your college experience. As far as school is concerned, I would advise you to take classes that you’re interested in because when you’re passionate about the class, school is so enjoyable.

Something that really shocked me about school is that doing homework is one of my favorite things. That sounds extremely nerdy but I promise that if you choose classes that really interest you, those late nights in the library are so fun and worth it. In terms of school work, I also suggest you completing your assignments the day they’re assigned because being a student-athlete, sleep is extremely important. It is also a huge relief to know you’re ahead in school when you have upcoming tournaments or dual matches.

My piece of advice when it comes to the social aspect of college is to be willing to meet all types of people, especially outside of the tennis team. When you go to school, you are surrounded by people with all different types of ethnicities, beliefs, experiences etc. I have only been to college for ten weeks but have already met some of the most interesting people who I know will add great value to my life.

The last thing I can tell you is to really appreciate the relationships you have at home and at ATA. With that being said, try your hardest to strengthen those as best you can before you leave. I went through some terrible days extremely homesick and I promise there’s nothing more you want than to be able to call your friends, coaches, and family. I was struggling on the tennis court because I wasn’t playing the way I wanted to be playing, but luckily Coach Doug and Coach Dio were two people who really helped me get back to where I needed to be. Another thing that may be helpful is to ask your private coach at ATA to develop a good relationship with your future college coach. Your ATA coach knows your tennis game, and you as a person better than your college coach so with that help, you will really benefit yourself well when you’re struggling. That very thing is what makes the Austin Tennis Academy special and if you take advantage of the special people around you, you will always have them when you need them the most.

Good luck to everyone in the upcoming tournaments and in the college search!

Abigail

 

Pictures From The Annual Walk For Water Event At ATA

The Austin Tennis Academy players, parents, and coaches participated in the annual Walk For Water event on the ATA campus yesterday afternoon as part of the 2017 Playing For Glimmer campaign.

The group carried jerry cans full of water on a course around the facility designed to mimic what women and girls in rural Ethiopia do daily to fetch water, oftentimes walking for hours on much tougher terrain carrying 40-pounds at a time.

After the walk, the group came together to watch a short video on ATA alum Breck Spencer, who traveled to Ethiopia and experienced the actual walk for water:

Breck and Donna’s Walk for Water | March 7, 2012 from A Glimmer of Hope on Vimeo.

Many ATA students have created their own campaigns to help contribute to the overall ATA effort. After watching the video, Coach Newman encouraged all students to get involved in some way.

Learn more about the overall Playing For Glimmer Campaign here. Scroll down to view all of the student campaigns.

Below is a gallery of pictures from the 2017 Walk For Water at ATA.

Gallery Notice : Images have either not been selected or couldn't be found

Photo Gallery

Take a look at some photos of the students on the court and in the classroom!

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