Jackson Chavez '20 Recruiting Profile

When I was younger, my parents put me in many team sports such as soccer, baseball, and basketball, but realized that team sports weren’t my thing. I decided to try playing an individual sport and picked tennis. I liked the feeling that I was the only person on the court and winning and losing was dependent on me instead of being dictated by someone else. I took lessons, played tournaments, and knew this was my sport. I have learned, through playing tennis, that it is important to always have a strong and stable mind, both on and off the court. I’ve also learned that to do my best means keeping myself physically in shape by dieting and regular conditioning. As I gained experience in high school and USTA tennis, I have learned to take leadership roles with people around me. I’ll be the captain of my 6A high school tennis team this year, and I know that means I need to have a positive attitude and be a good leader to the younger players. Also my ranking of 28 USTA SW Boys was stripped down to 66 once I turned 17 and my focus is being ranked top 10 by playing more tournaments than I have in the past.

My academic goals for high school would be to finish in the top 10 percent of my graduating class, as well as raising my 3.8+ GPA through my senior year to a 4.0. I’ve taken many AP classes to challenge me and get me ready for college courses. Sometimes the grades in AP classes aren’t as strong as the ones in regular classes, but I think it’s important to learn as much as I can and to be around other students who also work hard at school. My strength is in science and academic focus for college would be to study chemistry or pre-pharmacy to become a pharmacist. I hope to find the right fit for me and stay at the same school for the four years it takes me to graduate. After getting my bachelor’s degree, I plan to continue onto Pharmacy school.

The success of my family has influenced me to do my best in and outside of school and tennis. My parents worked hard through college and do well in their professions. They encourage me to do my best and give me help when I need it. I am also influenced by my friends at school as well as my tennis team mates. Some of them are now playing at various universities, and I look up to their success. I also have tennis coaches who I look up to and trust to overcome challenges. An example was when not taking dieting and my fitness seriously for the first years of playing high school tennis. I did pretty well in tournaments, but I knew I could do better. So, after my sophomore year in high school, my family & coaches challenged me to increase my activity and eat healthier. I lost 40 pounds over a span of 3 months as a result of eating healthier and more intense training, which made me more agile and much faster than I was before. Even though I am competitive on and off the court, I'm good at not allowing emotions get in my way which allows me to focus on the next task with a positive attitude. I’m looking forward to taking my tennis to the next level and playing for my college.