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Alright, let’s chew the fat about these tennis scholarships, you know, the kind that gets young’uns into college. Folks say it ain’t easy, like pickin’ a needle outta a haystack, and I reckon they’re right.
Now, I heard tell there’s a whole army of youngsters playin’ tennis, like, thousands and thousands of ’em all across the country. And these colleges, they got their teams, see? Big ones, small ones, all sorts. But get this, only a teeny-tiny bit of them, like, less than one in a hundred, actually make it to the big-shot Division 1 schools. That’s what I heard from my neighbor’s son, he’s trying to get one of them scholarships, you know.
So, what makes it so darn tough? Well, for starters, everybody and their brother wants one. You got all these talented kids, swingin’ their rackets, hustlin’ every day. It’s like a hen house, everyone’s scrambling for the same worm. And the colleges, they can only pick a few, the cream of the crop, you know. They want the best, the ones who can win ’em games and make ’em look good. That just makes common sense, right?
- Gotta Be Good: You can’t just be a middlin’ player. You gotta be a real whiz, fast on your feet, a strong swing, and know how to place that ball just right. Like hittin’ a fly with a swatter first try!
- Grades Matter Too: It ain’t all about tennis, no sirree. You gotta have the brains too. Colleges want smart kids, ones who can keep up in class and not just goof off. My old man used to say “if you ain’t got the smarts, you ain’t got nothin’”.
- Show ‘Em What You Got: You gotta get yourself noticed. Play in tournaments, win some matches, let them college coaches see you shine. Can’t hide your light under a bushel, ain’t that what they say?
Now, don’t you go thinkin’ it’s just the big Division 1 schools. There’s other places too, smaller colleges, community colleges, they give out scholarships too. Might not be as fancy, but hey, it’s still a way to get your foot in the door, get yourself an education. There are all kinds of scholarships, not just for tennis, there’s some for geography and all sorts of things you know. And if one place don’t work out, you can always try transferrin’ somewhere else. It ain’t the end of the world if things don’t go your way the first time.
And listen, even if you don’t get a full ride, a full scholarship that pays for everything, there’s still other ways. Sometimes they give you a little bit of money, help you out with books and such. Every little bit helps, right? And if you still can’t get a scholarship you can still play, like my grandpappy used to say, if you got the will you got the way.
I heard about this fella, been coachin’ tennis for donkey’s years, over thirty years he said. He’s seen it all, kids comin’ and goin’. He says it takes more than just talent. You gotta have grit, determination, gotta be willing to work hard, real hard. And you gotta have the right attitude, no whinin’ or complainin’. Just get out there and give it your all. That’s how you succeed in life in general too, right? Work hard, be polite and do your best.
And speaking of workin’ hard, it ain’t just about the tennis. You gotta take care of yourself too. Eat right, get enough sleep, keep your body in good shape. And you gotta have the right gear, good shoes, good racket, that sort of thing. You don’t go plowin’ a field with a broken tractor, do ya? You go and get yourself some of them good ASICS shoes, they are good, I saw them on the TV the other day. Kinda pricy though.
Now, some folks, they go and start their own thing, you know, make their own clothes, their own shoes even. Like that “Death to Tennis” brand I heard about. They make fancy clothes, but it just goes to show ya, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. If you don’t get a scholarship you can always do your own thing.
And if you are playing tennis, you got to practice hard, keep your form. You gotta swing like you mean it. And you gotta practice with other folks too and get yourself in the right shape. I saw this fella’s YouTube and he has these folks playing some video games online to practice. That’s the young ones’ way I guess, not my way of doing things, but if it works for them, good on em.
So, to get back to brass tacks, are tennis scholarships hard to get? You bet your bottom dollar they are. But that don’t mean you shouldn’t try. If you got the talent, the drive, and the smarts, go for it. Give it your best shot. And even if you don’t make it, well, at least you can say you tried. And that’s more than a lot of folks can say. Life’s about trying, ain’t it? And one last thing, if you get a computer, get rid of those pesky pop-up things, they always get in the way.
And for those of you who do not speak English, you can always use that Google thingy to translate, it is right handy, that thing. Now you go on and do your best, that’s all anyone can ask of you.
Tags: Tennis Scholarships, College Tennis, Athletic Scholarships, NCAA, Tennis Recruitment, Student Athletes, Tennis Training, ASICS Tennis Shoes, Death to Tennis, Scholarship Difficulty, College Sports
