Van Zee’s Vault: College Tennis Player’s Do’s and Don’t’s

Forgive me ASouth for I have sinned. It has been 3 weeks since my last confession (VZV) article. I believe I have literally paid my penance in the form of the $10 given to ASouth for his Draft Kings win. In the end, it was all a wash as I won $10 earlier this year with my Kalamazoo over Kenyon bet. With Indoors behind us, it’s time to get back in the saddle again and write something. I had a text waiting for me on my phone when I woke up this morning from a dedicated reader and former player asking “Where are the podcasts?” Yes, we have promised podcasts. Yes I was the one in charge of making those happen since I am the one who is no longer anonymous. Yes I have yet to set up any of the coaching interviews. I think my punishment from ASouth will be to say 100 “Hail Emory”s.

For the most part, the past VZV’s have been directed towards coaches and how they can navigate the rough waters that can sink the proverbial ship. This article is directed at the students athlete’s that make D3 tennis so great. It is for the recruits looking to make an immediate impact, or the freshman looking to fit in, or finally for the senior who is months away from graduation and forgotten what it means to give it your all. Without further ado, here are the DO’s and DON’T’s of a Division III college tennis player.

DO work hard on and off the court: This seems pretty obvious, but the cliché is true. You are only going to get out what you put in to it in college. This is true in the classroom just as much as it is on the tennis court. Spend extra time on the court practicing. Use your professors office hours to get additional help. Take a yoga class to strengthen your mind and body. Go to that extra study session in the library before the big test. By putting in the effort, the results will come and you will get the most out of your education and athletic abilities.

DON’T just get by and only do enough: This happens more than it probably should. It is easy to not wake up for that 8 AM class or not go hard on that final sprint in practice. Maybe your professor or coach won’t notice. If you get away with it once, you think you can do it again, and then it becomes a habit. The mantra of “C’s get degrees” is catchy, but it won’t set you up for that internship or job you are going for this summer. Not going hard in practice is noticed by your teammates and they will either resent the behavior or follow suit. Either way, give 100 percent in the things you are passionate about.

DO listen to your coach: Trust in your coach and the decisions that he/she are making. They have your best interests in mind while doing whatever they can to put more W’s in the win column. If they have rules, follow them. Respect lineup decisions and practice plans. This is practice for other life events. Your coach represents your boss so be mindful of that. If your coach asks a question, be truthful.

DON’T think you know more than your coach: Many times players of high ability think that they have a better knowledge of the game than their coach does. While I am not saying that all coaches are the best, they are in the position to dictate how practice should go. It is ok to respectfully challenge your coach on things, but the key word is respectfully. Try to keep negativity out of the conversation (with teammates or with the coach) and ask questions if you not sure what the thinking behind something is. Most coaches will be open to the discussion.

DO enjoy the ride: I don’t think coaches are naïve enough to think that college athletes are going to not enjoy the overall experience. Away matches, spring break trips, team dinners, and nights in the hotel are what you are going to remember the most so enjoy them. Do so with tennis in mind. Be prepared for your matches and celebrate the success afterwards.

DON’T enjoy it too much: This could probably be labeled “Don’t be stupid,” but that seems a bit harsh. The worst feeling I ever had was coming into the office on Monday morning and seeing my phone voicemail light flashing. That usually meant something bad happened over the weekend. If you screw up, own it. I never asked a question I didn’t already know the answer to so lying about a transgression is only going to get you in deeper. You WILL screw up at some time or another so live with the consequences and make sure they don’t happen again.

DO bond with your coach and teammates: The time you spend with your coach and teammates over the course of four years far outweighs the time you spend with anyone else in your college experience. They will shape your experience and be your friends for a lifetime.

DON’T alienate yourself: The best way to alienate yourself is to be the guy who dogs it in practice or the prick who makes bad line calls in matches. You represent your team just as much as you represent yourself on the court so it’s important to know that.

DO cherish the success: Revel in the fact that you know what it took to achieve the success. There is no better feeling than reaching a goal that was set that challenged your skill and effort.

DON’T dwell on the failures: You will fail and likely fail a lot. Failures are meant to be a learning opportunity and how you deal with the failure is what is most important. Don’t let one match define your season and don’t let any failure determine your effort moving forward. We see it time and time again. There are teams that fail early in the year and fold. We also see the teams that fail early and thrive. Be the latter.

Take some time and think about how you want your college experience to be and realize how important every decision you make really can be. It is up to you to define what it means to be a successful student athlete.

Alright folk, that was a shorter VZV, but I have big plans on the horizon. With the recent story on a successful D3 tennis alum doing some amazing things in the non profit world, I am hoping to compile a list of other great ventures by D3 tennis alums male or female. Please send me any information you might have to my email d3centraltennis@gmail.com. I have a few people already, but would love to get a few more. It is always great to highlight the impact of being a student athlete and my hope is to highlight alums having a great impact on our society.

 

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