Riya Thaper '27 Recruiting Profile

Tennis has and continues to teach me hard work, perseverance and gives me strength to keep moving forward. I started playing tennis when I was 4 years old, when it was more like a fun activity to do. But soon enough, I realized my potential and the love for the sport. I would go out on the courts almost every day in the summer, playing with my coach, friends and family. Going to practice and playing with my teammates became enjoyable and I started to grow connections with them. I gained skills from many coaches, clubs, and teams to build myself up to where I am now and I am determined to continue learning. I played on the varsity team as a freshman as third singles and experienced more wins then losses. The losses are helping me learn, grow more and be resiliant. I use this mindset with my challenges outside of tennis and it helps me grow as a person.Tennis improves my mental health and I feel stress-free while I am practicing. During my tennis season, I find myself to be happier as a person. Tennis also benefits me academically. After receiving a bad grade on a test, I am motivated to do better on the next test and grow from my losses. I don’t stay disappointed in myself and I am able to move on emotionally.