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Former Davis Cup captain, Paul Hutchins, speaking about the success of British players at US Colleges & UK Universities, and the choices available to players and parents.
Taking your tennis and your education to a higher level can be tricky, especially if you are trying to do both at the same time.
However one of the best ways to do so is via a University Tennis Scholarship, either in the UK or in the USA.
University, whether in America or Britain, offers a fantastic experience, new friendships, excellent training opportunities, good competition and a wide range of courses that can also be flexible in their delivery.
So if you are passionate about tennis, want to continue to play and train to a high standard alongside academic study then University tennis could be the route for you.
The decision to play full time on the men’s or women’s circuit or to go into a tennis business or career will be decided during the University period and the player must be well equipped to make these important decisions depending on standard, interests and ambition.
The standard of British University tennis has increased significantly in recent years and over 1000 senior tennis players now compete in BUCS tennis leagues on a regular basis.
The Main Draw of the BUCS Tennis Championships is an equivalent standard to the last round of qualifying in a Futures event, with a high percentage of main draw players having or having had a world ranking or Junior ITF ranking – the avg. rating is consistently in the region of 2.1.
Universities in the UK now offer a wide range of courses to help accommodate students who want to continue to develop their sporting interests.
Top 100 British doubles player Colin Fleming is an excellent example of how flexible Universities can be when it comes to your studies. Colin took a sabbatical from his economics and finance degree to pursue his tennis career, returned to his studies in 2006 and came back to playing full time in 2008.
College tennis in America is huge with three separate Divisions/Associations organising competition. The Scholarships prove very attractive to British players and hundreds of players have gone through the system over the last twenty years.
Before deciding on which option you would like to follow read an overview of what the UK and American options offer below.
"Attending University in America was the ideal solution for my academic and tennis needs. At 18 years old I was not financially or physically able to turn professional. Louisiana State University gave me the perfect opportunity to continue my education as well as compete at a high level. The opportunity opened many doors and I would advise anyone to try college tennis. I loved the experience and feel college tennis is a good option for all levels of player." British doubles player Ken Skupski. "I was able to train and compete under the guidance of a great coach, fitness trainer, and physio. With everything paid for and organised by my college, I didn’t have to worry about booking flights, hotels or paying rent, concentrating only on improving on court and in the classroom.” British doubles player Sarah Borwell.
"Attending University in America was the ideal solution for my academic and tennis needs. At 18 years old I was not financially or physically able to turn professional. Louisiana State University gave me the perfect opportunity to continue my education as well as compete at a high level. The opportunity opened many doors and I would advise anyone to try college tennis. I loved the experience and feel college tennis is a good option for all levels of player." British doubles player Ken Skupski.
"I was able to train and compete under the guidance of a great coach, fitness trainer, and physio. With everything paid for and organised by my college, I didn’t have to worry about booking flights, hotels or paying rent, concentrating only on improving on court and in the classroom.” British doubles player Sarah Borwell.
Top British tennis player Ed Corrie speaks to former Head of Men's Tennis Paul Hutchins about the experience and benefits of attending a US College
"‘I really do recommend parents and players think hard before coming completely out of education at a young age.
"Having opportunities at 17 or 18 to consider UK or US College options must be the right way forward as now there are so many good opportunities for scholarships and courses that enable players to continue having ambitions in the game as well as attending College or University. I appreciate it is not for every player but at least it is worth reading the details on all the options available."
Read Paul's article on considering the US college option