“My tennis showcase experience”
Graduated tennis student-athlete Jasmin Hauska shares her experice of attedning Keystone Sports tennis showcase
Keystone Sports is delighted to introduce you to our ambassador Jasmin Hauska. Jasmin is a graduated tennis student-athlete with a major in biochemistry and minor in psychology and biology.
Jasmin is from Germany, and played college tennis on a tennis scholarship at Southwestern College in Kansas, United States. In 2019, Jasmin attended our tennis showcase. Read about her experience and get her best showcase advice!
The start of my college tennis adventure
It was in January of 2019 when I decided that I wanted to pursue my dream of playing college tennis and getting my degree abroad in the United States. At first, I found myself being a little bit overwhelmed. Everything still seemed so far away and there were so many steps to take. I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into and at the time didn’t know a lot of people that could share their experience with me either.
Studying in the US is quite different from the German system, so there were a lot of unknown factors. Nevertheless, I decided to take it one step at a time, with Keystone Sports supporting me through all of it. The more I knew and the further along I got in the process, the more comfortable I felt.
However, the real turning point for me was the Tennis Showcase, hosted by Keystone Sports. My experience there was crucial to me, which is why I would like to share it with you in this blog post.
Attending the college tennis showcase
The showcase in July of 2019 was the first time that I got the chance to really touch base with the college atmosphere.
Before the event, I again didn’t quite know what to expect. I was nervous, felt the pressure to perform and the need to stick out among all the other players like this was my only chance. I found myself asking questions like ‘What if I’m not good enough?’, ‘What if no coach there wants me on their team?’, ‘Is my dream going to burst?’. How wrong I was to stress myself out like that.
Throughout the showcase, my perspective shifted to where I realized that it wasn’t all about performing on court. It was about making connections off the court, getting your foot in the door, talking to the coaches and other players. In America, tennis is a team sport and it is important for coaches to see these qualities in you.
My advice to players going to the college showcase
This leads me to the advice I would like to give to all future college athletes participating in the showcase:
- Try to see the other players there as teammates, not as your opponents. Be supportive of each other, you are all in the same spot, you all share the same goal.
- Don’t be scared or afraid to put yourself out there. Take a step out of your comfort zone. Be open and ask questions. Join Q&As and take advantage of all the information stands that are there to prepare you as best as possible.
- Even though you might not be interested in a college or university, talk to them. Every piece of information that you can get may be helpful in the future and will give you a better understanding of your future life at a college in the United States.
Lastly, make the most of it and have fun. Instead of putting pressure on yourself, try to shift your mindset towards being grateful for the opportunity and whole experience at the showcase. You have nothing to lose. You can only win.
A step closer to the tennis scholarship
With that being said, I would like to touch on one final aspect. The showcase isn’t your only chance to find your dream college. I, myself, got quite a few offers at the showcase and looked into all of them. However, my perfect match didn’t happen until a few weeks later, when coaches started reaching out to me thanks to the help of Keystone Sports. Trust the process. And when it comes to your final decision, listen to your heart. It will always tell you what to do.
We send our warmest thanks to Jasmin for sharing her college showcase experience and how this tennis recruiting event helped her on the path to secure a tennis scholarship in the US. Stay tuned for more upcoming blog posts by Jasmin!
On July 11-14, 2024 in Leverkusen, Germany, Keystone Sports arrange the 10th edition of Europe’s most recognized tennis showcase. Take the chance to showcase your skills to college coaches, receive information and guidance from experts in college tennis, and get prepared for your own college recruiting process. Get more information and secure your spot!
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About the author
Paulina Romo
Paulina Romo, SEO Specialist at Keystone Sports, holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and has a background in equestrian sports, specializing in dressage. Shaped by international experience gained from work and studies in Sweden, South Korea, Germany, and Spain, Paulina brings a diverse blend of marketing skills and perspectives to her role.
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