Mitchell Makanamakamae Evans '16 Recruiting Profile

Aloha Coaches!

My name is Mitchell and I am 18 years old.  NCAA ID is  #1404676799.  My NAIA ID is # 0287458  I am currently a SENIOR at Kaua'i High School.  I am playing VARSITY tennis for the fourth year in a row on the island of Kaua'i at Kaua'i High School.  I was the Team Captain in my Junior year and I am Team Captain for my Senior year.  In the 2015 season I had 5 wins and 1 loss KIF league, HHSAA athletics in the 2nd singles position.   I was seeded for the Qualifying state tournament.  As the only Freshman chosen for this team 3 years ago, it was a great honor for me to also be the first Junior to ever hold the position of Team Captain.  I usually practice 7 days a week and try to get out on the courts every single minute that I can, even if it means hitting against the wall by myself.   I play year round tennis at the Poipu Kai Tennis Club in Poipu, Kaua'i Hawaii in pickup games with visitors and with the USTA Junior 'Learn to Play' program for 7 years and played in the USTA men's double round robin for the past 2 years.  I am enrolled in a men's conditioning for tennis drill team at the local college. 

On my island we don't have any competition for USTA ranking at all, so I have to work part-time at a coffee shop to afford to travel to other islands unaccompanied without coach or parent in order for me to compete in my state.    I have competed for one year and I managed to cobble together enough points to earn a one star ranking on tennisrecruiting.net and a ranking of  # 10 in Rising Seniors on tennisrecruiting.net  in September of 2015 including earning their 1-star ranking.  At the USTA level, I was ranked during the same month # 21 for Hawaii and # 21 USTA Hawaii Pacific region for BOYS open 18's.  My USTA ranking nationally is 674 as of 8/30/2015.  My UTR ranking is a Level 7 as of August 15, 2015.

However, since October, my annual points have started to fall off of the USTA map and therefore I will very soon fall off of the tennisrecruiting.net rankings as well.   I have decided not to try and travel to play USTA and just focus on my academics and saving money for college.  The expensive airfare was too much to sustain for more than one year.  I am currently taking college courses for dual graduation credits and it is more important to focus on my academic career this year.

My Game: I am a tall player 6'4" with a good reach and a strong forehand and lean overhand.   I can control the ball and use spin for strategy, especially in my second serve (kick) and lobs with top spin.  Currently I am working on a snap forehand and and perfecting my continental grip for my volleys.  I am lucky to have almost 365 days of outdoor tennis and blessed to be able to play random tennis games at first class resort hotel courts with a wide diversity of adults and juniors who visit the island of Kaua'i.  This fall I have practiced twice weekly with an advanced adult group of men players in a drill and conditioning tennis course for the entire semester at the local college and I play a regular weekly game of doubles with a men's competitive team.  

I love to play doubles as much as singles.   I have won both the men's doubles and the mixed doubles in C-division play this year and My coach is a former ATP doubles player,  Bradley Lum Tucker.

Academics: I'm looking forward to studying Industrial Engineering Design, Computer science, Political Science and/or International Relations. Positioned as I am in the middle of the Pacific Ocean I hope to be involved in global technology either through Computer Forensics or through product development.  My other love is debate and politics. I currently have a 3.54 GPA and during the first quarter of my senior year I earned all A grades in my running start college courses.  I enjoy taking things apart and putting them together again. For  a hobby I work on rocketry and designing and flying remote planes.   I participate in I am currently taking two classes for dual credit at the University of Hawaii, Kaua'i CC.  

Other Interests:  I enjoy being part of a men's ocean faring canoe paddling 6-man team and I currently sit in the powerhouse section which keeps my core strength up.  I have recently earned my Eagle Scout rank in Boy Scouts of America. have been inducted into the Order of the Arrow community service adult group and sent to the National Youth Leadership training.   I am currently working as a Junior Troop Leader, mentoring younger scouts and am President of the Venturing 18-21 group.  I worked last summer after my Sophomore year at the largest international Boy Scout camp in Hawaii as a camp counselor and merit badge counselor for troops from Germany, Tokyo and New Zealand.  This year I have worked all year at a local coffee shop so that I can play tennis every day and travel to tournaments.  I'm very involved in volunteer work both as a scout and by giving back to my community in service.

Goals:  I would like to be able to play college tennis.  Why would I be great for your team?  I am a little more mature than most students, having already turned 18 years old and I am used to handling part-time work, a very strict practice schedule and have a lot of leadership experience.  I am an extremely fair player who has won sportsmanship awards and who is known for team spirit and enthusiasm.  I am very "coachable" and enjoy listening and learning from others.  I often watch tennis instruction on videos and read about the strategic game in order to help myself to improve.   I hope to learn as much about the game of tennis as I can.   Also, as my coaches will tell you, I normally end up becoming friends with even my toughest opponents.  Thank you for having a look at my profile and my video made earlier this year in March and one made in September.  I think you will notice how much I improved in just 6 months.  I'm looking for a coach who will help me develop and become an impact player.    NCAA ID is  #1404676799