Elijah Ingleson '20 Recruiting Profile

I started actively playing tennis when I was 9.  I had tried several sports by this point such as basketball, soccer, and baseball,  but no sport kept my attention.  That is, until I went to a one week tennis camp and had more fun playing in that one week than I did with all the years spent playing the other sports combined.  There is just something about the pace and the intensity that made tennis so inviting and interesting to me. 

I played a lot of tennis/tournaments 10U through 14U and then again in the 16U brackets.  My real aspiration to play college tennis came my freshman year of high school.  I was one of two freshman that made the varsity team and I really enjoyed the team atmosphere, the cohesiveness and its competitiveness.  I knew after my first match, where I lost 0 and 1, that I wanted to get much better to help our team. I started training everyday, strengthening my body, and playing as many tournaments as I could.  Before long, I realized how much I enjoyed going to tournaments and playing as hard as I could.  Not only that, but I found many new friends and a community that shared my interests.  I didn't want to give up these new feelings or these aspirations to become a better player and the desire to play beyond high school became my next goal.   Ever since that first thought, my resolve to play on a college team has only gotten stronger.

I believe I would be a good candidate for college tennis because I thoroughly enjoy the team atmosphere, work ethic and camaraderie.   The team is a motivator in of itself and that motivates me to push myself harder.  I want to work harder, always improving, so that I won't let myself nor my team down when it counts.   That also includes my feelings about my grades and academics.  Off the court, I am a easy going, laid back guy and have always gotten along well with others.  I am an honest and humble individual.  I am not afraid to take on leadership roles within the team and for the team.