Sam Snelgrove '20 Recruiting Profile

The summer before I entered middle school, I played tennis for the first time.  I enjoyed it so much, I knew I wanted to focus on being able to compete against others.  I started playing local tournaments and thrived on all the competitive aspects of the game.  At first, I won most of my matches because of my desire to win, my court sense,  and my agility.  Eventually, I was able to take lessons and improve my physical skills.  As a freshman, I competed on my high school varsity team.  That year, I lost in the first round of the Region IV-5A tournament and learned alot about myself as a competitor.  In Texas, Region IV has produced multiple state champions in singles and doubles in recent years, and I did not feel my level of play was good enough at Regionals.  I made a commitment to myself to work on the mental and physical aspects that would improve my game and allow me to compete at a higher level.  The following year my record improved to 24-5 in doubles.  At this point, I am working to improve my UTR, compete in more USTA singles tennis events, qualify for the 5A state tournament in boys doubles, and continue to develop my leadership skills.

I maintain a 4.0 GPA and work two part-time jobs in addition to tennis.  I recognize the mental and physical aspects of the game, and I feel I am on track to compete at the next level.  I know my strengths and weaknesses, and my ability to recognize them in competition contributes to my success.  I hope to find a school that will allow me to pursue my career goals in veterinary medicine and give me the opportunity to continue to improve my game while making a positive contribution to the men's tennis team.