Malia Robinson '26 Recruiting Profile

Hello, my name is Malia Robinson and I am currently a sophomore attending Castro Valley High School in California. Tennis has always been a huge part of my life. I picked up a racket at the age of 4, completely fell in love with the sport and haven't stopped playing since. I always strive to become a better version of myself, not just in tennis, but in life. My academics and grades are very important to me and I make sure they are top priorities. Next year I am taking several AP classes and have been a year ahead in math and languages for 2 years now. 

I have always wanted to play tennis in college at a high level so I have been working feverishly to accomplish this goal.  This year, I achieved the most wins and moved to the number 1 spot at CVHS as a Sophomore.  I am committed to contributing to your team not only athletically but through showing sportsmanship and respect to opponents, teammates and coaches.  Mentoring others and seeing them succeed is so rewarding that I seek coaching and volunteer opportunities which have led to my previous role as a working student at an equestrian center, my current role as an Assistant Tennis Instructor at a local country club as well as serving as an aide for a special education PE class.  

Under pressure, it has been said that I am level-headed, calm and humble in leadership positions. My mental toughness and controlling my mindset has always been very important to me. I constantly remind myself that my mindset can either break me or grow me and I apply this in my daily life as well as in competition. About a year ago, I tore my ACL and this required surgery and a complete reconstruction of the ligament. I thought my chances of playing tennis at a high collegiate level were over because of the grueling process of recovering and how far back this injury set me.  However, I just decided to put my head down and I started working little by little.  Through an intense physical therapy recovery program, I worked every day towards my full recovery and within a year, I was back. Though it was a major setback, I am grateful for this experience because it taught me so much about myself and how much my mindset and level of commitment comes into play when facing challenges.  Another unexpected blessing that came from this experience was my newfound interest in pursuing a career in physical therapy and sports medicine.  

I'm looking forward to continuing to grow academically, athletically and professionally, while making the maximum positive impact on the university I choose to attend and the team I join.