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If you think of a tennis scholarship, you will assume that we are talking about an American university (or college) being combined with a degree course. workouttennis.com has a slightly different concept in place, we'll explain why.

When I started out playing tennis my doubles and practice partner was younger than me, and we spoke for hours about the chance to go to college in the USA and learn and play on one of the college teams. Many of the American male players had been down this route, indeed completed their studies before turning pro. It was certainly for us young men a dream. Those Americans who did become pros were somehow the most articulate, most well-rounded pros. They weren't just tennis players. They also had an education.
 

Education + tennis mix

My friend eventually abandoned the project and decided to open his own tennis school in another town in UK. I saw him again many years later, and his school was still going strong, and he seemed very happy. He was the university type, though. I know he would have done well at college. Technically he was US style too, simple and busy and aggressive.

What would that university education have given him? He would maybe argue, nothing. No regrets, nothing missed. I do think that from that day when he decided to NOT go to university, he accepted certain constraints and limitations for the rest of his life. When you are young, you are not fully aware of this, but, without being able to give you proof, I'd give you this advice. You should study for as long as possible when you are young. Your options remain large for the rest of your life. I'd also add that university gives you other things, not just professional options. University develops your perspectives and character, without the constraints of a working environment. You meet people in a different context. I found this very inspiring.
 

A scholarship needs perfect facilities

My friend didn't have any money worries, so he didn't turn down college for financial reasons. US university can cost around $50,000 p.a. which most people cannot afford. There is however a comprehensive scholarship system in place. If you send in a video of yourself playing tennis, and a CV of your academic record, you have good chances of getting accepted. US university will still cost you a lot of money, but it becomes well manageable on a scholarship.
 

Real cost of tennis

I myself had become too old to apply for a scholarship by this stage, and I had no achievements to speak of in tennis. Academically I was stronger and more ambitious than my friend, so we were both coming at the study possibility from a different direction. We both abandoned it.
 

Those college options still exist. Many still have superb programmes, coaches and facilities. Their approach is very scientific which I also particularly appreciate. So if I had my time again, a US college would still be an option.
 

US tennis system

Things have changed. In particular professional tennis has become even more specialised. It has become even more difficult for a player to complete a full Masters (five year) study programme, and keep his sights on a professional tennis career.

One problem is age catching up on you. By the time you finish a Masters Degree course you'll be 23. That means your professional tennis career will start at 23. Frankly you need to be making stronger tennis result progress earlier than this.
 

A tennis character

Also, player development programmes around the world have intensified. The successful National Federations, such as France, Spain and to a certain extent, Eastern Europe, have comprehensive state run academy systems in place. From about the age of 16, for boys, studies are continued, but they are not the priority. Tennis is everything. If you stop making progress in tennis, you get removed from the academy. The pressure to perform in the tennis section is paramount. You could continue to labour with your school work, but that plays a minor role. If the tennis is good, you are good. In American universities it is the other way round. The tennis can go flat, but as long as your studies are good, you keep your place.

That means when a French player breaks into the professional ranks it is highly unusual that he has come through the non-Federation system. Some of them may have been thrown off a Federation academy for a while for poor performance, but they have had enough exposure to stay on the radar. The Federation often picks up again on players whose development has been uneven.

This all costs the players and parents nothing, and a school study programme, based on French qualifications is in place. They maintain the same normal rhythm as their non-tennis colleagues. So these players have been selected from the regions at a young age, and asked to go to a state academy. Many turn down the chance to go to an academy, mostly due to pressure from their parents to stay around the home. This is mad. The tennis academies are so good. It is such a great, once in a lifetime, opportunity not to be missed. The Federation academies are not perfect, but if you get the chance, take it. You can always come off it if it doesn't work.
 

Parents' decisions

The other problem now is that the game of professional tennis has changed since the day when I was 18. I was a multi-sportsman, so picking up tennis, and being fit enough for tennis wasn't a huge problem. For my friend it was more of a problem, he only played tennis, and although he kept to a complete off-court fitness programme, I actually had fitness advantages over him. Today, you must be working on your fitness from a younger age, and reach higher levels than before. This requires monk-like discipline, and is often harder than hitting the balls themselves. You want to be hitting balls and playing matches, you don't want an hour and a half in the gym every day. But you have to do it. There are of course ways of making a fitness programme fun, but it is not the easy bit.
 

Tennis healthy

The National Federation systems are effectively scholarship systems. You pay nothing, get a pared down school programme that will be hard to keep up with because of your tennis. But you are allowed to develop your tennis freely.

workouttennis.com offers scholarships too. Once you have fulfilled the criteria, which are very similar to the American college criteria, you will get this same freedom to play and study at the same time. We maintain the same rigour as on any Federation academy. The moment your tennis goes off, workouttennis.com has the option to remove the scholarship. If your studies become difficult, we will put in place extra help, but it will not be critical. You will have to meet certain costs towards the scholarship, but the really big costs are met by workouttennis.com and our sponsors.

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Are there any real advantages of a workouttennis.com scholarship compared to a Federation or US college?
 

First, our scholarship is a "live at home" scholarship. You are away from the distractions of a bigger group of younger players. The tennis experience is even more intensive. For a tennis scholarship this is the element you must demonstrate the most clearly - a complete commitment to tennis for a long period.
 

Second, we maintain great flexibility. A player will base his calendar on a tournament circuit to gain him ranking points and experience. Training, coaching and fitness are based around this. The tournament calendar controls everything. That means you'll be thinking and living like a pro already. Optimal match performance is the goal, and for every player this will be differently arrived at. workouttennis.com has the flexibility to keep these performances at optimum levels.
 

Third, we have been doing this since the end of the 80s, twenty-five years. It has worked for many other players, and it will continue to work for the new faces. workouttennis.com is a specialist for this type of programme. I went through it myself. It is a viable, fun, effective alternative to the major academies. I recommend it.

Next tennis tours

Our scholarship is linked to private and group sponsorships. We encourage you while you are with us, not just to let us do the administrative and marketing work, but to take responsibility for your 'career'. Even if you live this career only for a few months of your life, you will understand everything you have to do to make yourself a complete pro.