Georgia Plunkett, Student Athlete & Sue Milner, Head of Recruitment at ATP.
Going to a USA College is increasing in interest with up-and-coming Australian juniors with many paying attention towards ‘how’ their peers are paving the way.
‘By sharing the lessons learned by others can help demystify the landscape and increase knowledge about the wonderful opportunity that this system can offer. There are options for all starting points, however the key is to invest time to learn about the various pathways to find the right fit for ‘You’’. S Milner, Head of Recruitment at ATP.
After her first year we asked Georgia Plunkett to share insights to help our Australian Tennis Community to learn about the USA College System, Georgia decided to pursue her College Pathway after finishing Year 12, she trained at Glenlea Tennis Club in Adelaide under the guidance of Todd Langman as well as earlier connections to Seaside Tennis Club with Coach Sharon Hambly and mentor, Alicia Molik.
Of a total of approximately 80 Australian Women in all NCAA Divisions we currently have 25 Women from Australia playing in NCAA Division II of which Georgia is currently ranked #15 in this list.
UTR Data Aug 23.
Becoming a college student has been an eye opening and thrilling experience. It offers many challenges and obstacles along the way but also endless opportunities that helps your character not only within their sport but as a person. I began this exciting journey with many dreams and aspirations, but I didn’t realise how much I would grow as a person and as a player also.
Harding University, Private University, founded in 1924.
The NCAA is a member-led organisation dedicated to the well-being and lifelong success of college athletes and has 1100 member schools with three divisions across the United States. In the Women’s Divisions there are over 860 members with 204 in Division II.
NCAA.org Georgia Plunkett Harding University Women’s Tennis Team 2022/23 NCAA Division II
When it comes to time management it can be incredibly tough to balance everything, including athletics, academics, and social life. However, being a student athlete has taught me how to balance all these things and it also taught me the importance and the value of time management. I came to the realisation that for me to be more effective, I needed to maintain better organisation and to schedule my weeks in advance, create various weekly goals, and tasks. By doing this, it was much simpler for me to manage my time better, and I was able to continue to excel in school while still being active in my sport.
A lot of dedication is required to handle the hectic schedules, the early 6am workouts, and the rigorous training sessions on the court and in the gym. By doing this, I swiftly realised that success requires a lot of hard work and dedication. My strong work ethic taught me the value of persevering through all the difficulties and setbacks while maintaining attention on the objectives I had set for myself.
I came to understand that, in a college setting, it takes a lot of teamwork to ensure that the team wins. It's not just about me. In a college setting, effective communication and having faith in my teammates and coaches became crucial factors to consider. By adopting these techniques, it taught me an important lesson about how they may improve both my personal and social life as well as my performance on the court.
Image - Harding University Women’s Tennis Team 2022/23 NCAA Division II, Georgia 5th from left.
Your physical and emotional health can suffer as a result of injuries, setbacks, and academic stress. But being an athlete in college has taught me the values of resiliency and adaptability. I have developed the ability to withstand setbacks, rise above adversity, and change course when difficulties arise. I now possess the necessary life skills to overcome obstacles in the future with courage and fortitude thanks to these experiences.
It's important to strike a balance between academics and athletics, but it's also important to put your own wellbeing first. I learned the value of rest, a balanced diet, and mental wellness as a student athlete. I was able to play at my peak both on and off the court by giving myself time to unwind, recuperate, and regenerate. Knowing how important self-care is has proven to be a priceless lesson that will help me be successful and happy in general.
My first year in college as a student athlete has been a life-changing experience and a huge eye-opener for myself. Time management, self-care, teamwork, discipline, and resilience are only just a few of the life skills that have helped define me as a person as well as an athlete. The experience has given me priceless life lessons that go beyond athletics, and I am so grateful for that. I'm appreciative of the development and information I've earned so far in my career as a student athlete, and I'm eager for the challenges and lessons that lie ahead.
To become a US College Student Athlete is a significant achievement and we encourage our local communities to engage in this success. As a first year as a student athlete offers many lessons that extend far beyond the tennis court and will undoubtedly serve as a solid foundation for their future endeavors, both on and off the court. The landscape is evolving in Australia. Aspiring student athletes who can adopt early planning, supported by their networks such as schools, clubs, coaches, family and National and State Sporting body will be best positioned to unlock the USA College Pathway system.
Sue Milner is the Head of Recruitment at Australian Tennis Pathways and Georgia Plunkett is a Student Athlete at Harding University.
More information about the USA College System can be found at the Home of College Tennis. Follow Georgias’ Journey at Harding University here, if you would like to learn more about developing your pathway, please reach out to us at www.australiantennispathways.com.
Comentários