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Ask The Experts
Roundtable: Turning Professional Before Graduation
by James Hill, 8 August 2016
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With the U.S. Open occurring this month, several top college tennis players are considering turning pro. The lure of pro tennis can be strong, even if it means leaving college before his or her graduation date.
We took the question to our panel of respected college coaches. We asked them the following:
Q) What advice do you give to one of your current players who is considering turning pro before graduation?
Chris Young, head coach, Oklahoma State Women
We fully support our players pursuing their dreams of playing professionally. From their first day on campus, we discuss their development plan and constantly discuss where they are in that process. We set a schedule that will allow them the opportunity to take the next steps.
I would sit down with any current player who is looking to turn pro prior to graduation, look at the opportunities they have, and help them access where they are in the process. If they have a ranking and the financial support system to leave early, and that is best for their career, then I would fully support that decision. Few players have opportunities available with the resources that programs like ours provide, so they would need to analyze if their training environment, financial support for travel and coaching are at appropriate levels to achieve success.
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