Start Early or Miss Out: The Truth About College Tennis Recruitment

Over the past few months, I’ve had multiple families reach out for help with college recruitment, and one thing keeps coming up: players are starting the process far too late. The stakes in college tennis are higher than ever, and waiting only narrows your options.

Here’s what families need to know.

1. Starting Late Limits Your Choices

A realistic timeline for college tennis recruitment is at least two years before high school graduation. For top Division I programs, it can be even earlier.

Yes, last-minute openings exist. But the odds of finding a school that matches your level, location preferences, academic interests, personality, and budget drop significantly when you wait.

On top of that, the transfer portal is packed with hundreds of college athletes looking to change schools. This competition shifts everything -and it means juniors who delay are already behind.

2. “We Want to Wait Until Their Level Improves” - A Common Mistake

Many families think waiting to improve makes them more attractive.

This is a major misunderstanding.

College coaches don’t just recruit skill. They recruit progress.

They want to watch a player grow over time - how they train, how they compete, how they respond to pressure. If they only see a snapshot at the end, it’s harder for them to project a player’s future level and fit within their program.

Starting early allows coaches to follow your trajectory, not just your current ranking.

3. Time Creates Better Fit and Better Decisions

A successful college match isn’t found through a few emails. You need time to:

• Build real relationships with coaches

• Learn about different team cultures

• Talk to current players

• Explore scholarships and budgets

• Visit campuses

• Compare academic programs

• Understand expectations and realities

  
  

When players begin late, they often scramble and settle for whatever is left rather than what is right.

4. Misinformation From Private Coaches Is a Real Problem

Unfortunately, I hear too many juniors say their private coach told them to “wait until you get better” or “start in senior year.”

Most private coaches simply aren’t up to date on NCAA timelines, transfer portal dynamics, scholarship availability, or recruiting patterns across conferences.

They care about their players — but that doesn’t mean they have accurate recruiting knowledge. And that misinformation delays the process for athletes who can’t afford to lose time.

5. What Families Need to Understand

If you remember nothing else, remember this:

• Start earlier than you think.

• Planning doesn’t lock you in - it gives you options.

• Coaches recruit players they can follow, not last-minute surprises.

  
  

An early start gives you the chance to grow, not rush.

Final Thoughts

Every junior athlete deserves the chance to find the college environment where they will thrive. Starting early doesn’t guarantee a perfect match, but starting late almost always guarantees fewer choices.

If you need help understanding where your player fits, how to build a strong profile, or how to connect with coaches, I’m here to guide you.

- Tina, TC4A

Eat Like an Athlete: Why Fueling Enough Is Your Secret Weapon

For too many female college athletes, food becomes complicated. Between social media pressure, team weigh-ins, and comparison with non-athlete friends, eating “enough” can start to feel wrong — even when it’s exactly what your body needs to perform, recover, and stay healthy.

You’re Not Like Your Non-Athlete Friends

Let’s be real — your training load is different. You can’t eat like your roommate who studies all day and doesn’t have practice at 6 a.m. You train, lift, sprint, and compete. You break your body down daily — and if you don’t refuel, it can’t rebuild. Under-eating isn’t discipline; it’s self-sabotage.

A Little Humor from My College Days

Back when I was a top collegiate athlete, we didn’t know half of what we know now about sports nutrition. My idea of post-match recovery? A Papa John’s pizza at midnight — and maybe a Diet Coke to “balance it out.” Let’s just say that’s not quite the same as strategic fueling! But we did our best with what we knew. Now, you’ve got access to better knowledge — so use it.

The Performance Cost of Under-Fueling

When you don’t eat enough, your body fights back. You lose energy, focus, and strength. You recover slower, your hormones get disrupted, and injuries creep in. You might think you’re “leaner,” but in reality, you’re running on empty — and your performance will show it.

Food Is Fuel — Not the Enemy

You can’t expect your body to perform like a Ferrari if you fill it like a scooter. Fueling right means eating enough of the right things, at the right times. Food gives you energy, power, and mental clarity — it’s not something to fear or earn.

Coaches and Parents — Your Language Matters

Talk about fueling, not dieting. Replace “watch your weight” with “how are you fueling today?” When young women hear consistent, positive messages around strength and nourishment, it builds confidence — not guilt.

The Bottom Line

You don’t have to be perfect — just be aware. Listen to your body, fuel it with respect, and trust that strong always outperforms skinny.

Your body is your most important piece of equipment. Take care of it — it’s the only one you get.

When Doing the Right Thing Doesn’t Feel Good (But You Do It Anyway)

I’ve always believed in helping where I can. Whether it’s connecting someone to an opportunity 🤝, offering advice 💡, or simply opening a door 🚪 they might not have known existed, I operate from a place of generosity and integrity. It’s how I was raised. It’s how I coached. And it’s how I do business.

But what happens when you pour your time, energy, and heart ❤️ into helping someone—and they don’t acknowledge it? No thank you. No follow-up. No loop closed. Just… silence.

It stings. 💔

Most of us who lead or coach from a service mindset have been there. You do something to support someone—often going above and beyond—and there’s an unspoken understanding that it’s not just a favor, it’s an investment. In them. In their journey. In the relationship.

And then you find out through someone else, or see something posted online 📲, or simply never hear from them again.

That sting? It’s real. 😔 But so is the question: What do we do with that disappointment? 🤔

When you’re in the business of helping people—whether you’re a coach 🎾, a leader 👩‍💼, a teacher 📚, or just someone who leads with heart 💕—this is the paradox we face. We give with no guarantees. We invest with no certainty of return. We hope people will match our integrity, and sometimes they do. But sometimes… they don’t.

So where’s the line? When does generosity become self-sacrifice? When does helping become enabling? And how do we keep giving without becoming jaded?

Here’s what I’ve come to believe:

1️⃣ Not every seed you plant will bloom the way you hoped. 🌸

But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth planting. Sometimes your impact shows up in ways you never see. Sometimes your name gets passed along quietly. Sometimes your influence lives in the lessons they carry forward—even if they never say it out loud.

2️⃣ Expectations without boundaries lead to resentment. 🛑

It’s OK to have clear agreements. To say, “If I do this, I’d appreciate that.” Not as a condition of kindness, but as a mutual respect for time and energy. Next time, I’ll be clearer. Wiser. Still generous—but with structure.

3️⃣ You either act from your values or you don’t. 🌟

And my values don’t change based on how people respond. I believe in helping people. I believe in doing the right thing, even when no one’s watching. That doesn’t mean I won’t feel disappointed—but it does mean I can sleep at night. 🛌

And I’ll keep showing up. I’ll keep helping. And, I’ll also keep learning. 🚀