Amanda Rivera '19 Recruiting Profile

I find peculiar the way I was introduced to the sport of tennis− my dad liked it and saw a sign that said free lessons were available; I was enrolled right away and instantly fell in love with the sport. The sport caught my eye because, since I was 7, I thought of it as a way to express myself and be able to compete with kids my age, thus make great friendships. On another note, I've always wanted to understand why people act and do things a certain way and, since laying eyes on this sport called tennis, I've aspired to keep this sport in the remaining of my life. Therefore, I wish to study sport psychology.  I believe I would be a great asset to your tennis team because I am incredibly disciplined, as I have been endlessly balancing my school work with my competitive tennis career, having able to maintain a GPA of 4.0, ranked -at USTA tournaments- and among the top ranked Girls in singles (16U) in the Caribbean section. Also, I have developed the resilience of a hardworking team player throughout my two consecutive years at the Junior Team Tennis National Championships and my experience as the school’s team captain for 2 years. My coaches have assured me they admire a particular thing about my character, which is my capability to lead those on my team, display a positive attitude and demonstrate sportsmanship on and off the court. Believing in myself and having confidence in what I can do is what has kept me strong, not only throughout my tennis years but, throughout life. Notwithstanding, I recall an instance when I lose some confidence when it came to my matches which lead me to experience frustration.  My coach, wanting to help build up my confidence, told me to watch a documentary called “The Secret”; it consisted of the simple premise of having a positive mindset to attract positive results. The learning experience from watching this documentary, strengthen my perspective on court and shaped my perspective of life leading me to persevere through obstacles with clearer thinking.