Derin Kirtman '25 Recruiting Profile

Ever since I was a toddler, I understood that sports were my escape from any negative things in my life. When I'm on the court, field, track, gym, etc., everything dissipates except for the feeling of fun, and of course, the desire to win. 

As the years went on, because of my athleticism, I excelled at various different sports, such as soccer, basketball, football, tennis, etc. It was just freshman year of high school that I discovered competitive tennis. I realized that I really enjoyed playing tennis, and soon after, I began to take consistent and advanced training (including camps in Florida), seeing massive improvements. Due to my rapid improvement, I believe I have great potential at the sport of tennis. I still play basketball in winter on my school team, but tennis is the sport I want to pursue in college. 

Why do I want to play tennis at the college level? Simply because I enjoy it.

Another important part of my life is academics. My parents taught me to put academics before sports, and I respect that philosophy. I am currently attending the Washington International School (WIS), a strenuous school where I am opting to participate in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. This is one of the most demanding high school programs, yet I am doing very well at WIS, while still engaging in competitive sports. 

I believe that I am a great fit for any team because I am easily coachable, hardworking, passionate, and just want to have fun with tennis at a competitive level.