Scholarship for Athletes Blog

SFA Interview with Todd Wojtkowski of Case Western Reserve

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:40:00 GMT

Todd Wojtkowski – Case Western Reserve (Men's & Women’s coach)

RG: At SFA, we try to explain to our clients that the recruiting process is like being on a job interview; is that how you view the recruiting process?

TW: I think that this is a very accurate way to look at the process. Simply put, it is a job interview because the player is “selling” or convincing the coach/school why the player would be a valuable asset, and why that school would need that player.

RG: What attributes do you look for in a recruit and why?

TW: First, I look for their academic attributes such as test scores, GPA, classes taken, volunteer work. I then try to get to know their family and what type of discipline they have. I am truly only looking for players that are disciplined, hard-working, and focused.

RG: What kind of questions should every junior player ask their potential college coaches?

TW: My advice is for the recruit to perform some research on the school and program before asking any questions. Questions will come into a player’s head as they are looking up some things about the school and program. How many players the coach plans on bringing in the following year? What are the chances of playing right away? What scores do I need to get admitted?

RG: Assuming that they have the academics and tennis level to attend your school, when should junior players begin to contact you or send you their resume?

TW: Junior players need to get onto a coach’s radar during their sophomore year at the latest. It is good to get on a coach’s radar while still in the 16 & under tournaments so that the coach can follow their results along the way.

RG: Should the athletes let you know what tournaments they will be playing in and their results from these events?

TW: I feel that a simple 3 sentence email to a list of coaches mentioning that they will be playing in a tournament is imperative and shows great initiative and responsibility on the recruit’s part.

RG: What should athletes do or not do while taking their unofficial and official visits?

TW: Athletes should ask tons of questions and spend at least one night finding out what a true experience that school has to offer. I suggest that the players dress in business attire and treat the visit as a job interview. Come with something in hand, anything from a list of questions, resume, transcript, personal goals for college, etc… Look everyone in the eye, shake hands firmly, ask all those you meet for a business card in order to follow up on the visit, and finally follow up on the visit.

RG: How important is it for potential recruits to build strong relationships with you and the players on your team?

TW: More important than the relationship with the coach, the recruits need to develop a relationship with the players on the team. I always like to hear that a recruit that has done a visit and met the team has then added the current players as friends on facebook. This will allow for the recruit to be able to find out more about the program and to keep in touch with current players.

RG: What do you do to ensure that the athlete will be a good fit for the team?

TW: I try to put this in the hands of the current players. To ensure if they are a good fit, I encourage an overnight visit to the campus. Once they have visited I try to have current players follow up with the recruit and to see what they liked, or did not like. I trust what my current players have to say and they usually let me know how that player will fit into the team.

RG: What advice do you have for the parents of junior players about the recruiting process?

TW: Be a macro-manager, not a micro-manager. Please allow your children to take the initiative in the process. Allow them to use this experience to mature and gain experience that will help them when they become adults.

RG: What are your coaching philosophies?

TW: I love this question as this is truly the reason I have decided to make my career in college athletics. I believe that through tennis we can teach young adults how to truly dedicate themselves to something, get better at it, master it, and take the lessons learned from doing so in order to best prepare themselves for the real world.

SFA Interviews #1 NCAA Men's Singles Player

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:05:00 GMT

Steve Johnson, a USC sophomore from Orange, CA, sits down with Scholarship For Athletes to discuss being a Trojan and his transition from juniors into the top of the collegiate tennis rankings. He is currently ranked #1 in Men’s singles and #13 in doubles. He helped USC bring home a national championship title in 2009.

Ross Greenstein (RG): What factors contributed to your decision to attend USC?
Steve Johnson (SJ): A few of the main factors for choosing USC were the fact that I got along with the team really well during my visit. I felt like the coaching staff of Peter, Brett and Eric gave me the best chance to be successful in college as well as transitioning afterwards. Lastly it was close enough to home so that my parents and family could watch the next stage of my tennis career.

RG: What was the transition like from the juniors to college on and off the court?
SJ: The transition was very difficult for me coming from the juniors to college in both school and tennis. College academics were much more difficult than what I was used to in high school so I had to spend a lot more time off the court studying. On the court is was a big jump as well because in the juniors I was used to practicing 3 or 4 days a week and now were practicing 5-6 days a week as well as off court training.

RG: What is the most challenging aspect of playing college tennis, especially at such a high level?
SJ: The most challenging thing about playing college tennis is being able to bring the same intensity and attitude to the courts with you everyday. It makes for a very long season with practices and workouts everyday but if the guys on the team are able to make everyone else around them better it’s going to be a successful year

RG: What would you have done differently in juniors looking back on it?
SJ: Looking back on my junior career I don’t think I would have done anything differently. I accomplished just about everything I wanted too, I didn’t get burnt out playing too many tournaments during the juniors which has really helped me out in the long run because I always enjoy walking on the courts to compete on a daily basis.

RG: Why have you been so successful so far in college?
SJ: The success I have seen this past year and a half can be attributed to a number of things. I have been putting in a lot of work off of the court to become faster and stronger and on the court I am able to practice with my team everyday. We are all pushing each other to be better and to make sure we have the chance to stay on top.

RG: What is a typical day like for you at USC?
SJ: A typical day at USC would be to wake up and go to class in the mornings, practice in the afternoons, class, and dinner with some of the guys on the team then take care of business academically.

RG: Describe a typical practice and workout at USC.
SJ: A typical day at practice is to warm up with the team and we usually work on specific shots during movement drills then we continue to follow the theme of the day whether it be to work on singles, doubles, coming forward etc. Workouts vary everyday but we always stick to either upper body, lower body, and stay specific throughout the day.

RG: How much time do you spend with the team off of the court?
SJ: I spend a majority of my day with the guys on the team. I live with three of them and we always end up just hanging out, going to study together, we have been a very close team during my year and a half at USC.

RG: What do you like best and least about college tennis?
SJ: The best thing about college tennis is the team atmosphere. There is nothing like playing for the guys that you work so hard with everyday. There is no least favorite thing for me about college tennis, its all good for me.

RG: What advice do you have for the junior players who want to be great in college?
SJ: The only advice I can give the kids looking to be successful in college is to make sure that they love the battle and make sure you push yourself as well as your teammates to be the best they can be.

To the class of 2011

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:13:00 GMT

Dear class of 2011,

SFA’s president and CEO, Ross Greenstein, recently spent some time at the Winter Nationals and Copper Bowl. During his time there, he discovered that the majority of the 2011 class was behind with the college recruiting process, or job interview, as SFA describes it. This newsletter is intended to educate your class on exactly what the job interview entails and what each athlete must be doing right now.

You are now half way through your junior year and are rapidly approaching the most important summer of your life. Your job interview started last year. By now, all of you should have established solid relationships with the coaches and athletes at the colleges where you wish to attend.

Below are the first steps all potential college athletes should take. They are essential, and they’re the stepping-stones to the start of your college career.

Make sure you have:

Created a realistic school list comprised of schools that you would attend whether or not you were an athlete
A great understanding of the athletic and academic requirements of the schools on your list
Sent your resume to the coaches on your list
Followed up with a phone call to the coaches to discuss your resume
Started to build relationships with the current players on the college teams that you want to play for

If you haven’t completed these preliminary steps, then you’re behind. Keep in mind that coaches are trying to determine which student athletes they want to spend 60 hours a week with for four years. This process is more about building relationships than anything else. Your athletic abilities will not set you apart from your competition at decision time, your established relationships will.

If you have questions about what you should be doing or need some guidance, please do not hesitate to contact us. College is one of the most memorable times of our lives. There is no reason why you cannot find a school that will be a great fit for you, both on and off the court.

Warmest regards,

The SFA Team

The Mystique of Ivy League Tennis

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 09:22:00 GMT

An Ivy League education is amongst the most well respected in the world. Such schooling also represents the most expensive and exclusive of American higher education. Ivy League schools are exceptionally costly and do not offer athletic scholarships. Even so, top ranked American athletes are still eager to participate in Ivy League education and collegiate athletic programs. Although many athletes look at the Ivy League team rankings and assume they do not have to be amongst the top players to get recruited, the assumption is far from reality. The Ivy League schools recruit the best American junior tennis players.

From 2007 through 2009, the top men’s and women’s Ivy League tennis programs have appeared in the Division 1 top 25 best recruiting classes a total of 18 times according to tennisrecruiting.net. In that 3 year timeframe, the Ivy schools have recruited 11 Blue Chip Players and 43 Five Star Players. The Princeton women’s class of 2008 had 3 Blue Chip recruits and was ranked number 1 overall in the country. The Ivy League schools tend to attract Blue Chip and Five Star recruits that could have played for more established college programs, but choose to attend Ivy schools for the prestigious education. A current Ivy League coach was interviewed for this article and said “ If you are a 3 Star Recruit it is very hard to get recruited by the Ivy’s.” Players looking to play for the prestigious Ivy’s, should not underestimate the top athletic level and highly competitive academic nature of such programs.

In most sports and at most schools, having a top 25 recruiting class would translate into a top 25 of the national ranking. However, this tends not to be true amongst the Ivy League Universities. What is puzzling about Ivy League tennis teams is that they continue to recruit talented junior tennis players but fail to come close to being a top 25 tennis team. The chart below shows the recruiting class rankings vs. the team national rankings of 2007, 2008 and 2009.

	Recruiting Ranking
	Women's Ranking			Men's Ranking
	2007	2008	2009	2007	2008	2009
Brown	-	10	25	-	-	-
Columbia	-	-	7	-	-	-
Cornell	20	-	-	-	-	-
Dartmouth	22	-	-	-	-	-
Harvard	-	8	3	10	-	11
Penn	-	-	22	-	-	21
Princeton	13	1	17	-	13	22
Yale	-	-	14	-	-	4

	Team Ranking
	Women's Ranking			Men's Ranking
	2007	2008	2009	2007	2008	2009
Brown	-	-	62	-	-	-
Columbia	-	-	-	69	-	52
Cornell	-	-	-	-	-	-
Dartmouth	-	-	-	-	-	-
Harvard	-	-	65	74	51	63
Penn	54	65	-	-	-	-
Princeton	71	67	45	-	-	-
Yale	73	74	50	-	-	69

It can be easy for future college tennis players to assume that they have the ability to play for an Ivy League tennis team based on the team’s national ranking, but that is not necessarily true. To be recruited by the Ivy Universities, student athletes have to be ranked amongst the best in the country. The recruiting classes of the Ivy League rank far better than many of the SEC, ACC, Big 10, and Pac 10 schools.

Such statistics pose the following question: Why are the Ivy-league tennis teams vastly underachieving based on the junior rankings of their student athletes? SFA asked a current Ivy league coach that question and his response was “ academics first, the Ivy league tennis player is not as motivated to see how good they can become in college. That is pretty obvious if you see the talent in the Ivy’s.” SFA does not know the answer to this question, however, we do know that in order to participate in an Ivy League team, athletes have to be exceptional students as well as top ranked junior tennis players.

A Day In the Life of a Top Recruit: a journal from an official visit

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:31:00 GMT

TRIP #1

I recently returned from my first official college recruiting visit. Before I left I was nervous and unsure of what to expect but the trip gave me a taste of college life as a student and an athlete.

FRIDAY

On Friday morning, I headed for the airport. It was unlike the usual Friday 8am class, I was instead on a journey towards the next step in my life. I had picked a perfect day to miss class, skipping a test I was barely ready for. After a 3-hour flight, I was met at the baggage claim by the head tennis coach, with whom I’d previously arranged the visit. I was a little nervous, but also very excited.

As we drove through campus, he pointed out some of the various “hot spots”, which he assured I would come to know well over the course of the weekend. We made our way to the tennis facility where the assistant coach was practicing with one of the players on the team. It was rather intense, which although intimidating, good to see. I waited for practice to end, and introduced myself to the assistant coach and player, both who greeted me warmly.

Later that afternoon, I met up with the rest of the team for lunch at a campus food court near the freshman dorms. The guys on the team were all eating there together as friends and welcomed me into their group. I couldn’t believe how much the guys on the team ate! After lunch, I met up with the assistant coach who had arranged for me to speak with a faculty member of my proposed major (econ), an academic advisor for student athletes and the athletic director. The meetings lasted about 3 hours and were a bit on the boring side.

After my meetings, I went back to the tennis facility and watched the squad practice for another 2 hours.
After practice we went to the apartment that I was staying at. Three guys on the team lived together and I was staying with them. We took it easy after dinner and went to a movie. Since we had a long day planned on Saturday, I didn’t want to over do it.

SATURDAY

We woke up around 9 and grabbed breakfast on our way to the football game. I was pretty psyched to go to my first real college football game.

After the game, we had lunch and went back to the facility to watch another practice. Practice seemed long and I was excited to head to a party that I heard the guys talking about.

In the afternoon, the team took me out for pizza. We talked sports and headed back to another teammate’s apartment for a pre-party. His apartment was disgusting and I thought I was in a teen movie. It was crowded, but I enjoyed it. After a while, we left to check out another party. We stayed there for an hour and then took off to grab some grub. We made it back to the apartment around 2 am and called it a night.

SUNDAY

My alarm went off and I was definitely exhausted from the long night. I met with the coach for the last time and headed to the airport. It was a great trip!

TRIP #2

FRIDAY

The second trip was quite different than the first. Since I already knew some of the guys on the team, I was excited to see the campus and my friends as well. I got in Friday morning, met the coach and headed to the tennis facility. Their facility was not as equipped as the first school I visited. And in my head, I weighed the pros and cons.

On Friday afternoon I met up with the team. The guys seemed much more laid back than those of the first trip and I though it might be the difference between a state school and a private one. We grabbed lunch at some spot on campus and hung out for about an hour before they went to their Alumni match. I loved that match, watching old players get back in the game was quite entertaining.

Later that night, we went back to one of the player’s houses and got dressed for the evening. Some girls came over, we hung out, played games and Guitar Hero all night.

SATURDAY
The guys had an early practice because of the football game. After practice, we all went out for lunch and then to the football game. The game was fun but it was very cold! The game was solid and it ended with the school winning in OT. Later, we went home, took a nap and got ready for the night. Dinner at the Italian restaurant was amazing. We went back to a friend’s and started the night off watching some football followed by another party.

SUNDAY
On Sunday morning I got up early, met with the other recruits for a light breakfast and then headed to the airport. I said good-bye, thanked the coaches and headed back home. I had a great time that weekend. It was refreshing to see college in a different social light. The guys on the team were nice, smart and hardworking; something I was definitely looking for in a team for myself.

SFA in Ecuador

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:34:00 GMT

Below is a link to an article that appeared about SFA and their work in Ecuador on El Universo.com. To view the article, click the following link: http://www.eluniverso.com/2009/10/02/1293/1295/D0168FAB27D6469C91A7CEE17E2619E1.html

US Open 2020

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:25:00 GMT

The 2009 US Open tennis championship featured 191 men of which 29 were American and 170 women of which 24 were American. After watching this year’s US Open, I was inspired by the number of American born players in the singles, doubles and mixed doubles draws. Every draw I looked at had a similar trend - the athletes had played college tennis and were older than 26. However, I was surprised that none of them were famous or well-known amongst mainstream tennis fans. As I watched the tournament, I thought about the current junior players and wondered how many would give up their dream of playing in the US Open and give into the social standards that dictate they get a “real” job after their collegiate career. Which junior players will keep working on their game in order to get the opportunity to travel the world while playing the sport they love?

“I know my son is not going to be a pro tennis player.”

“My daughter is going to college to get the best education because we know she won’t be a pro tennis player.”

These are some of the quotes that I hear from the parents of top juniors in the United States everyday. Unfortunately, no-one ever mentions that if their son or daughter keeps working hard and improves they will have a good shot at playing in the US Open.

The chart below shows athletes who participated in the same junior tournaments and attended the same colleges that you will. They did not give up on their dream. They trained harder than the rest and went above and beyond their coaches’ expectations. This year, they participated in the 2009 US Open. All of the athletes in the chart are American, over 26 years old, played college tennis and have never been top 60 in the world in singles or top 20 in the world in doubles.

Parents and student athletes, it is not out of reach nor impossible for the junior players of today, to play at the US Open of tomorrow. Work as hard as you can in college; continue training and playing tournaments after college and you can make it. The average age of the top 100 men on the ATP tour is 27. The average age of the top 100 women on the WTA tour is 25. Your best tennis will be played after your college career is over.

I hope the athletes above inspire you to chase your dream. Chances are, somebody reading this newsletter is going to play in the 2020 US Open. Remember, never give up your dream. Perseverance, patience, and hard work is the recipe for success. Good luck!

To the Graduating Class of 2010

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:09:00 GMT

What Is Your Backup Plan?

Congratulations! You are now entering your senior year of high school.

As a student athlete, you have worked tirelessly to secure your future, both athletically and academically. Most seniors have already determined which school is their top choice. You have probably been communicating with college coaches and even setting up visits with the school that you dream of playing for. But no matter how far along in the process you are, you MUST have a backup plan. If you don’t have one yet, SFA can help you.

You need to know who your competition is and where you stand with each school. This means you need to determine if you are the coach’s top choice. What if the coach assures you that you have a position on the team and tells you that you probably won’t start? Would you still go to that school? Do you know what the odds are of continuing to be a non-starter during your sophomore year?

If you have not asked the coaches the following questions you need to pick up the phone and call them right now!

• How many roster spots are available in my recruiting class?
• Am I your (the coach’s) 1st, 5th, 10th or 50th choice?
• Who are the other student athletes that are being recruited?
• Is there scholarship money available for me?
• If I were to go to your school, where on the team would I play?

Once you’ve answered these questions, re-assess your list of schools. Remember the goal is for you to participate in your team’s college games, not to watch from the sidelines.

You should have a list of at least 6 schools. Three of these must be schools at which you are likely to receive scholarship money or where you know and are assured you will start for the team as a freshman. If you don’t have these three options, odds are that you will end up at the wrong school.

SFA has seen dedicated and passionate athletes quit and/or transfer because they did not seek the help and advice that they needed when making their decision. Please don’t let this happen to you.

As a student athlete myself, I understand the repercussions of not having the necessary information available before making this decision. I chose to go to the University of Florida because of the assistant coach, head coach, and two teammates who had been recruited with me. At the end of my freshman year, I lost all four of them. I know from experience how hard this decision can be and I know what the reality of college sports entails.

If you do not have a solid backup plan or want to make sure you know exactly what you are getting yourself into (on and off the field of play), email me at ross@scholarshipforathletes.com.

I look forward to speaking with you and answering any questions that you may have.

Sincerely,

Ross Greenstein
CEO/President Scholarship for Athletes

Ross@scholarshipforathletes.com

Making a Case for High School Tennis: Why Most Junior Tennis Players Should Play For Their School

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:05:00 GMT

By Paul Torricelli

Each season, SFA hears of junior tennis players choosing to forgo playing for their high school team. With this news comes the annual debate over the merits of playing for the school team or pursuing more challenging competition outside of school in order to improve your ranking.

It’s a tough decision but there are a number of reasons, usually valid, for making the decision to play elsewhere. Number one is the conflict between high school tournament schedules and significant USTA events – particularly in spring when the summer circuit looms and the prospect of competing in front of college coaches is very attractive.

Or it may be that a player thinks their school team and coach is lacking good practice partners or the real ability to develop their game.

Whatever a player’s individual reason for saying no to the school team, there is one overriding factor that makes joining the team exceptionally beneficial in the long run. We’re talking about the experience of team play. It’s one of the first things a coach looks for in any new recruit.

What are College Coaches Looking For?

Firstly, lets assume that most high school players would like to play college tennis at some level. For these players rankings and results are paramount and one of the most important ways to attract the attention of college recruiters. But if that is truly the goal, young players need to think beyond simple wins and losses and examine what playing at the next level really means – and entails for them. Believe me, college coaches are looking past the ranking lists and quality wins. They are reading between the lines for the right “fit” for their TEAM. Regardless of school and their individual programs, all college coaches are constantly working and evaluating how to build, shape, and manage the team concept on a daily basis.

So what are coaches looking for as they scout prospects and do their research? Three things: Impact players who make their team better from the moment they arrive; juniors with histories of winning and real potential and “sleepers”.. Coaches love late bloomers overlooked by others who then thrive in college and excel beyond expectations. College tennis is loaded with these players who also tend to embrace the team concept from day one.

It’s equally important to understand what coaches seek to avoid. As good as these impact and sleeper players sound, they’re not guaranteed to be good team members – one of the most important factors to a college coach. Recruits who arrive at college without prior team experience have to learn from scratch what being on a team is all about and this can be a distraction and a drain for time-crunched coaches. Players who haven’t been through the highs and lows, nuances and concessions that come from working with others toward a common goal, often struggle when they have to adapt in college. And coaches do not have the luxury or time to hold hands until a player gets it. They need you to arrive on campus, buy into the team’s mission, and get to work.

Becoming a Team Player

You don’t just arrive on campus as a freshman and say, okay, now I’m a team player. As a college coach, I would nearly ask parents and recruits about the team concept and never heard one reply that they weren’t sure or that it wasn’t important. In fact, most of them usually enthusiastically answered that they loved being on a team. While I have no doubt that they were sincere, I am convinced that all but a few had any real understanding of what teamwork means.

Todd Martin once told me that despite the glamour and glory of Davis Cup, his days in college tennis were a true team experience. As with any sport, college tennis teams thrive on team chemistry or the lack of it. Every coach has a horror story of someone who ruined the experience for other players. And, without exception, every great player has gained from good team chemistry..

The most important thing to realize is that team play is about the team. In other words IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU! The ability and willingness to make a contribution and be one part of something bigger is what matters. College tennis players compete best when they are close with their teammates. Nobody wants to let their friends down, especially when he or she is battling on the court next to you. If a player chooses not to represent his school and play with his friends, they should have a very good reason for doing so.

At the end of the day, there are many people who will persuade you as a young player to skip the school team and focus on rankings and advancement. But with the best intentions in the world, they’re not college coaches and have never been in a position to see the day-to-day, year-to-year importance of good team play. They’ve never seen the repercussions of a player who is not a good fit on a team or to recognize the character building benefits of teamwork.

As a former college coach, I can assure you that playing on your school team is not only beneficial to your collegiate career it is part of that career.

Giving Yourself the Best Shot: Simple strategies to select the right program for you.

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:16:00 GMT

Something to think about… Aiming for the top programs isn’t always the best strategy for you.

While it would be nice to play for a top division 1 program, it might not be the best fit for you if you prefer to play in the matches and not sit on the bench. At SFA, we frequently see thousands of athletes chasing a small, highly sought after number of spots at the top D1 schools in the country, regardless of their ranking. This is a recipe for disaster, and can be a waste of time and effort if your ability is not in line with the respective athletic program.

The numbers below serve as an example. We pulled the 2009 boys and girls four-star recruits’ college commitments list from tennisrecruiting.net.

As of April 27, 2009 86 girls and 84 boys had committed to a variety of schools across the board. As expected, the majority of four stars committed to division 1 programs. We took the analysis a step further by breaking down the commitments into the following five categories: Div 1 top 25, Div 1 top 75 (26-75), Div 1 not top 75, Div 2, and Div 3.

Contrary to common belief, the results show that the majority of the four-star players committed to Division 1 programs that were not top 75 (73% for the Girls and 67% for the boys). Most of the players being recruited to top ranked Division 1 programs are Blue Chips, Five Star recruits and International players, leaving lesser-ranked players with serious challenges when pursuing top programs.

What You Can Do

For current players in the 2010, 2011, and 2012 classes it is essential to begin forming relationships with coaches at the schools they wish to attend. The students in these graduating classes should be emailing coaches regularly, informing them of recent tournament results and of their upcoming tournament appearances. If you are a four star recruit or below, it is in your best interest to send emails to coaches at schools that have a ranking lower than the top 75 in division 1. This will give you the best chance of having coaches respond to your emails, while also finding a program where you can play in the lineup. This communication is critical for future coaches to consider interviewing you for a spot on their team.

Each junior player needs to develop a strategy to assess which coaches they will send emails to on a regular basis. This assessment should be based off of the recruiting classes from the prior year at the schools that you are targeting. If you are ranked 300 and the players in the previous recruiting class are ranked 150 and above, then that program is not a realistic one for you. The chart above demonstrates if you are a four star recruit or below, it is NOT in your best interest to be contacting coaches whose teams are ranked top 50 in division 1. The odds of those coaches heavily recruiting you are very slim. However, if your results improve dramatically and you become a 5 star or a blue chip recruit during your junior year, division 1 top 50 coaches will be watching you.

Top 25 Men’s Tennis Programs for 2009

1 Univ. of Southern California
2 Ohio State University
3 University of Virginia
4 Univ. of Mississippi
5 UCLA
6 University of Georgia
7 Baylor University
8 University of Tennessee, Knoxville
9 Univ. of Texas at Austin
10 Stanford University
11 University of Florida
12 Universities of Illinois
13 Florida State University
14 Texas A&M University
15 University of Kentucky
16 Universities of Alabama
17 Wake Forest University
18 Pepperdine
19 Univ. of Miami (Florida)
20 Boise State University
21 Auburn University
22 Univ. of Louisville
23 Duke University
24 Univ. of Arizona
25 Oklahoma State University

Top 25 Women’s Tennis Programs for 2009

1 Duke University
2 Northwestern University
3 Univ. of Georgia
4 California
5 Univ. of Notre Dame
6 Baylor University
7 Univ. of Miami (Florida)
8 Georgia Tech
9 Univ. of Southern California
10 University of Tennessee
11 Clemson University
12 UCLA
13 Stanford
14 University of Florida
15 Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville
16 Fresno State
17 University of South Carolina
18 University of Michigan
19 Florida State University
20 North Carolina
21 Univ. of Mississippi
22 Vanderbilt University
23 SMU
24 Louisiana State University
25 Univ. of Kentucky

To Play or Not to Play: The High School Team Dilemma

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:11:00 GMT

Once it’s time to play high school sports, many junior tennis players are already playing at a skill level that is higher than their school peers. This can place them in a difficult position: whether to get involved with the school team and their friends or to go beyond the school team and focus on improving their game.

It is not uncommon for talented student athletes to choose to train and play outside of their high school programs so that they can better prepare themselves for their USTA junior career. It is a difficult decision but there is no right or wrong way to handle this situation and the answer will vary for each athlete.

At SFA, we are big advocates of high school tennis for a number of reasons. There are many positive aspects to playing on a team prior to playing in college. High school teams usually foster an environment of camaraderie, build sportsmanship and teach athletes the value of being a team player. Experiences with your high school team can be beneficial to your overall success as a college player regardless of your skill level because it brings more to your game than just the mechanics of play. Playing on your high school team will allow you to see yourself as part of something bigger and can be rewarding as you motivate and inspire other, less experienced, players.

Of course being the best athlete on your team goes a long way toward creating confidence but an athlete that is not in synch with the team atmosphere can easily become a distraction to the team, to the coach, and to the group’s collective goals. Each athlete must gauge for themselves the exact benefits of the team atmosphere and decide when it is time to move beyond High School tennis.

Tim Mang, Executive Director of National High School Tennis All American Foundation (NHSTAAF), is also a strong advocate of high school tennis. Each year, he hosts a team tournament in Southern California. The 2009 tournament was held in Corona Del Mar, California. Sixteen teams across the country were invited.

2009 NHSTAAF High School teams:

Beverly Hills High School, Beverly Hills, California
Brentwood School, Los Angeles, California
Brophy Jesuit Prep High School, Phoenix, Arizona
Cathedral Catholic High School, San Diego, California
Corona Del Mar High School, Newport Beach, California
Gulliver Preparatory School, Miami, Florida
Harley Allendale Columbia High School, Rochester, New York
Horace Mann School, Riverdale, New York
La Jolla Country Day School, La Jolla, California
Mater Dei High School, Santa Ana, California
Menlo School, Atherton, California
Santa Barbara High School, Santa Barbara, California
Seattle Preparatory School, Seattle, Washington
Thousand Oaks High School, Thousand Oaks, California
University High School, Irvine, California
Waccamaw High School, Pawley's Island, South Carolina

University High School of Irvine, California took home the championship while Thousand Oaks High School was the runner up. To see the complete results click here. Additionally, NHSTAAF recently announced the 2009 Boys and Girls All American tennis players. Please join us in congratulating all of the honorees!

The D2 Gap: What is happening in division 2 tennis?

Mon, 04 May 2009 02:48:00 GMT

One thing that we have frequently noticed with the junior tennis players that we speak with is that they either want to go to a division 1 school to play tennis, or they want to go to a division 3 school that meets their academic needs. We refer to this as the division 2 "gap". This raises the question: What is wrong with division 2 schools and why aren’t student athletes as interested in them?

As the saying goes, one man’s loss is another man’s treasure. That is exactly what has happened in division 2 tennis. SFA researched the rosters of 15 ranked Men’s and Women’s division 2 tennis teams to see how many international athletes make up their rosters. The results may be surprising to some.

59 of the 125 Women players were international athletes and 109 of the 139 Men players were international athletes. This means that almost half of the Womens rosters along with nearly 80 percent of the mens rosters were filled with international players. These percentages should give student athletes and their families a good idea of how big the D2 gap really is in college tennis.

Most people would argue that the academics are not as strong at division 2 schools however the tier system from US News and World Report shows that these schools are in fact places where athletes can get a great education along with a great athletic experience. The chart below shows the tier levels for each of the schools that we researched. (The tiers range from 1 to 4 with 1 being the highest).

Click here to learn more about how the rankings are calculated.

The numbers show that the international athletes have found a niche where they can compete, get their school paid for, and get a great education. Simultaneously, thousands of American athletes overlook these opportunities. Why is this? Is it because they are lacking knowledge about division 2 schools? Is there a lack of prestige associated with division 2 schools that are not as main stream?

The reality of the situation is that while many Americans choose to overlook these great opportunities, thousands of international athletes are capitalizing off of our unawareness and our disregard. This is not to say that there is any problem at all with international athletes playing college sports, it just exemplifies the opportunities that are passed over because everyone wants to play at the same 200 schools. Why pay a tremendous amount of money to go to a school and get minimal playing time or sacrifice the level of play just for social merit? There are many good schools on and off the court at the division 2 level. Eventually, there will be a wave of student athletes that will realize what they’re missing out on.

College Costs Continue to Rise as Scholarships Remain Stagnant

Thu, 09 Apr 2009 20:32:00 GMT

Whether or not the economy bounces back this year is still up for debate. But as experts argue, one thing is certain: it's affects are being felt on college campuses and in the pocket books of parents across the country.

The cost of attending a college or university is climbing at an alarming rate every year but the numbers of scholarships schools have to offer and their overall budgets are not. It certainly has not become any easier to get a scholarship either which means that athletes and their families are footing more of the bill.
From public to private schools the costs are rising:

Dollar amount of the percentage of scholarship
University	10% 2004	20% 2004	50% 2004	10% 2008	20% 2008	50% 2008	10% 2012	20% 2012	50% 2012
University of California-Berkeley	$595	$1,190	$2,975	$893	$1,756	$4,465	$1,190	$2,380	$5,950
University of California- Los Angeles	$602	$1,204	$3,010	$755	$1,510	$3,775	$908	$1,816	$4,540
University of Miami-FL	$2,784	$5,568	$13,920	$3,483	$6,968	$17,415	$4,182	$8,364	$20,910
Northwestern University	$3,008	$6,016	$15,040	$3,675	$7,350	$18,375	$4,342	$8,684	$21,710
Boston College	$2,939	$5,818	$14,695	$3,741	$7,482	$18,705	$4,542	$9,084	$22,710
Tufts University	$3,096	$6,192	$15,480	$3,884	$7,768	$19,420	$4,671	$9,342	$23,355
Wake Forest University	$2,831	$5,661	$14,155	$3,656	$7,312	$18,280	$4,481	$8,962	$22,405
Southern Methodist University	$2,535	$5,070	$12,675	$3,120	$6,240	$15,600	$3,704	$7,408	$18,520
University of Richmond	$2,652	$5,304	$13,260	$3,885	$7,770	$19,425	$5,118	$10,236	$25,590
Pepperdine University	$2,872	$5,744	$14,360	$3,458	$6,916	$19,290	$4,044	$8,088	$20,220

*Amounts for Cal Berkeley and UCLA are in state fees. All numbers are tuition only (Excludes books and room & board)

Public: University of California-Berkeley (Cal)

The University of California-Berkeley (Cal) is a classic example of what’s happening to tuition fees and scholarships at many schools. In 2004, if a player received a ten percent scholarship ($595) he or she would need to find $5,361 to cover in state tuition costs for the year. Fast-forward to 2008 and that same student needs to cover $8,932 (in state). Judging by the rate of rising costs, an in state student on this scholarship would be looking at additional tuition fees of $10,710 in 2012.

Private: University of Miami, FL

It’s simple math. Private means pricey. Out of pocket costs at a school like Miami will be exponentially higher than at Cal and UCLA. For instance a 50 percent scholarship in 2004 at Miami covered $13,920 in fees, leaving the student to match the cost. In 2008 that bill came to $17,417, and at the same rate of inflation, a student on a 50 percent scholarship at Miami could pay as much as $20,914 by the year 2012.

Getting a scholarship has become harder than it used to be because the level of competition has increased around the world. The number of scholarships that teams have to allot remains unchanged. Additionally, as the college costs are rising, partial scholarships are losing value each year since they are a percentage of the overall cost.

Running the Numbers: Matriculation of the class of 2006 Boys and Girls Tennis players ranked 100-200 in the nation*

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:23:00 GMT

Most athletes don’t realize there’s a lot of movement on the teams they sign with, the program they’re part of and the schools they attend. To make the point, SFA ran the numbers and analyzed the matriculation of the boys and girls junior tennis players ranked 100-200 in the nation in 2006:

How many boys and girls ranked 100-200 in the graduating class of 2006 will start their junior year of tennis on the same division 1 tennis team that they originally signed with in high school?

Out of those that remain on their starting teams, how many will play top 6 on a top 75 ranked team?

Simple questions with surprising results and shocking implications.

2006 Junior Players Ranked 100- 200 in the Nation
Men			Women
79	Div 1	79%	89	Div 1	89%
2	Div 2	2%	2	Div 2	2%
19	Div 3	19%	9	Div 3	9%
22/79	Quit or Transferred	28%	20/89	Quit or Transferred	22%
26/57	Play top 6	46%	55/69	Play top 6	80%
2 of 26	Top 75 Team	8%	3 of 55	Top 75 Team	5.5%

NOTE: Some of these players will quit or transfer during or after their junior year to pursue their next career after tennis.

RESULTS: Boys 2006 recruiting class ranked 100-200

79 out of the 100 boys played division 1 tennis (79%); two out of the 100 played division II tennis (2%); 19 out of the 100 played div III tennis (19%). 22 out of the 79 that went division 1 have already quit or transferred which means that 28 percent of the division 1 men players ranked between 100 and 200 in the 2006 recruiting class didn’t make it to their junior year on the team that they originally signed with.

Of the 57 boys still on the teams they originally signed with, 26 are playing top 6 for their team.

Two out of those 26 are playing top 6 for a top 75 D1 team: J Walters – Furman (team ranked #70) and R Wardell – William and Mary (team ranked #67)

RESULTS: Girls 2006 recruiting class ranked 100-200

89 out of the 100 girls signed with division 1 schools (89%); two out of the 100 signed with division II schools (2%); 9 out of the 100 signed with division III schools (9%). 20 of the 89 have already quit or transferred which means that 22 percent of the division 1 women players didn’t make it to their junior year on the team that they originally signed with.

55 out of 69 girls are playing top 6 for the Division 1 school that they originally signed with. 3 out of the 55 are playing top 6 for a top 75 ranked D1 team: S Lederhandler – Yale (team ranked #51), H Robinson – LSU (team ranked #23) and E Monson – Utah (team ranked #43)

Analysis:

On the boys side the numbers are scary. Almost 30 percent of the division 1 players did not make it to their junior year on the team that they signed with. Of the kids that are still on their original team, almost 50% of them don’t play top 6. The most frightening stat is that, of the 100 boys we looked at, only two play top 6 for a division 1 team ranked top 75.

The numbers on the girls’ side were a little better, due in part to the abundance of scholarships for girls. SFA saw many girls take a full scholarship at a school where they would play top 6 right away. The boys that fall into these rankings are less likely to get a full scholarship so they tend to seek out schools with a bigger name – where unfortunately they will have a lower chance of playing on the team.

The girls’ numbers still reflected that over 20 percent of the girls that went division 1 have quit or transferred. Similar to the boys, the number of girls playing top 6 for a ranked division 1 team is very low. Only 3 girls out of the 100 girls we looked at are playing top 6 for a ranked team.

Assessment:

Overall there’s a real problem here. The data implies that there is a major lack of education for student athletes and their families. What caused so many athletes to quit or transfer? There are multiple reasons such as injuries and burn out however a more likely reason is that their expectations were not met in some form or fashion. They may not have played as much as they expected, the athletic workload may have been more than they expected, or the program simply was not as good of a fit as they expected. Regardless of the reasons, these are all things that could have been avoided with a thorough analysis of the athlete’s wants and needs along with additional research.

Proper research is worth the time that it takes and the effort required. Many students opt for outside help but regardless of who does the research – every athlete should know that it needs to be done. Period.

*rankings source: wwww.tennisrecruiting.net

Three Steps To Tennis Success

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:35:00 GMT

Three Steps to Tennis Success

Asking the Important Questions To Find The Perfect School

by Ross Greenstein, 28 July 2008

Special from Scholarship for Athletes

The competitive level of college tennis in the United States is higher than at any other time in history. Academies full of experienced and knowledgeable coaches are providing student athletes with the resources and individual attention they need to improve their games. The junior tennis circuit allows players still in high school to gain valuable competitive match experience, and to get a jump on their collegiate careers. Combine all of this with the influx of international players being recruited to schools across the country, and you will see why the recruiting process has become ultra competitive.

What does that mean for you? Simple. Whether you're ranked top ten or top 1000, you're going to need a game plan to find the school that will be the best fit for you. Here are three questions you should ask to help you navigate the recruiting process and choose a school that is the best fit for you academically, socially, and athletically.

Know the Differences

It can be easy to be swayed by the reputation and image of a well-known school and let that cloud your overall judgment of what you want from a college experience and tennis program. Similarly, it's easy to overlook a school you've heard very little about when it could offer the blend of social, academic and athletic criteria that would match your needs perfectly. There are literally thousands of schools out there, so the first step in selecting a school and program has to be understanding their differences and what sets them apart.

1) What are the differences between my top five schools academically, environmentally, and athletically?

No two schools are the same: each will offer a different experience both on and off the court. Location, geography and weather are often overlooked too: is a school on the opposite coast to home making it difficult and expensive for family and friends to watch you play? Is it a warm weather location or will seasonal weather patterns affect training, travel and the overall experience? An athlete should also figure out what kind of school personality best suits them: small liberal arts campus, busy state school, Ivy League?

There is a simple way to start this difficult selection process; making a list of all the criteria that you feel would provide the perfect college experience for you. What size school would you feel comfortable at? How far from home are you willing to go? What do you want to study? Once you have answered those questions, it is time to list all of the schools that match what you are looking for. Once you've determined if the academic and social life at a school will fit your needs, it's a lot easier to accurately assess the things that make or break a tennis program: the reputation and abilities of the coaching staff, the school's facilities, the strength of the program's schedule and player development - plus, of course, whether they offer scholarships or any other kind of financial aid.

Decide your criteria - what is important to you - and then rank schools by how many of your "must haves" each school meets. It will be surprising how clear this makes the big picture.

Know Your Market Value

So you've got your short list made - but so have hundreds of other students. And many of them have selected the same schools. It's crucial as early as possible to figure out if the coach would be interested in recruiting a student-athlete of your caliber.

2) What is my market value at my top five schools?

Start calculating your market value by first comparing your player ranking against the current players on the team. Research what the players from the previous years' recruiting class were ranked when they were juniors. They should be close, or within shooting distance to yours, to give you the best chance of starting in the lineup or at least working your way up quickly. If you have played against members of the collegiate teams while they were in juniors, then you should have a clear idea of what the talent level is at that college.

It's important to study the school selections of other players too. Are there a lot of more talented, higher ranked players above you applying to the same school? Have a lot of other players at your level registered their interest in the school? What kind of a playing field are you looking at?

If you haven't been talking with the coaches of the schools on your short list, you need to do that. It's important to be on the radar as early as possible and know whether you're that coach's first, fifth, tenth or 30th choice.

Contact Coaches

Once you know your schools and where you stand in the competitive set for each, it's even more important to ask the third and final question in the school and scholarship search process:

3) What am I doing right now to separate myself from the competition?

Making yourself stand out is a process that can't start soon enough. Write detailed letters of interest to the coaches of the schools on your short list: tell them why you want to be part of their program at their school. Keep them updated as to what tournaments you will be playing, and invite them to your matches. In short, you need to open up a regular communication channel with your schools of interest. It's time consuming but critical. Consulting firms such as Scholarship for Athletes can help you answer these three questions and find a school that will be a perfect fit.

Ultimately, many kids in the wrong programs at the wrong schools can end up quitting or transferring because they didn't educate themselves or make smart choices. If you do your homework and have realistic expectations, you will find a school where you can succeed academically, enjoy your college experience, and have the opportunity to play the sport you love.