I am very grateful for my experience as a college athlete. I got to compete in the sport I love at an extremely high level, travel around the country, and meet some amazing people along the way. Playing college tennis was always a goal of mine growing up. What I did not realicollegetennis My College Tennis Experienceze was how many schools and opportunities there are. I played for 4 years at a small, private, Division II university. Each year brought on new adventures, challenges, teammates, and good times. I had teammates from all over the world such as France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Belarus, Morocco, Mexico, Vietnam, Croatia, and the United States.I have made lifelong friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.

While playing college tennis I got to push myself to the limit on the court. I was lucky to be on a successful team that entered post season play each of my four years. I played at 4 NCAA National Championships and played against some of the best Division II players in the country. Nationals is an experience I never thought I would experience growing up, and each year I was so excited to be there and compete with the best. It was fun to go there and take part in the Championships, meet other teams. It is every college athlete’s dream.

During the season we traveled a lot and I got to see a lot of new places. It was especially cool for my international teammates who have not traveled much around the country. We traveled on the road so it was a great time to get to know all of my teammates. Some of my best memories are from our many road trips.

As I finish college and move on to the next phase in my life I will take many things away from this experience. I learned many leadership skills and how to cooperate with a group. I have made friends all over the world that I will have the rest of my life. Lastly, I will always remember my experiences on the court, fighting for my team, winning, losing, and playing my best, because that is what it was all about.