Trista Caffyn Parsons '24 Recruiting Profile

Tennis has been a part of my identity for as long as I can remember and it’s something that I cannot do without. Around the age of 9, I played and won my first ever orange ball tournament. The sensation and confidence I gained from such a young age was a huge driving factor into me pursuing college tennis. By the time I turned 14, COVID-19 had halted any and all training in New England, which resulted in me moving to Florida. Now 17, I am competing in national USTA tournaments and beginning to travel to some ITF’s. My time in Florida has taught me many valuable lessons and one of them being your perception on life. I was taught that if you ever want to be good at something, you have to look at the glass half full rather than half empty. This small quote completely changed my process of thinking and allowed me to develop the way I needed to.

This sport consumes me, especially to the point where I find myself waking up at 5am just to practice. I stay up late most evenings to make sure my grades are something I feel satisfied and proud of. Sometimes when the going gets tough, I tell myself that better days are ahead as long as the glass is half full. In saying this, I’ve gained an immense amount of independence, strength, control, and diligence that I feel would be my weapon in college tennis. I’d love nothing more than a team atmosphere where I can celebrate my happiest triumphs and defeats. I’m looking for a college that can push me athletically and academically. In terms of my developmental process, I truly believe I am just getting my feet wet.