We got a chance to sit down with recent Millersville University graduate and Marauders tennis star Jody Sambrick. Here are his insights on what it takes to play a sport at the collegiate level and beyond. Make sure to follow Jody on Facebook and Instagram.

  

Can you tell us a little bit about your high school tennis career? How did you progress from a freshman to a senior?

I started playing tennis when I was about halfway through middle school. I had an athletic background, and I knew that I wanted to play at least one sport in high school. That of course, ended up being tennis.  During my first year I came in with a bang and played number 2 singles and number 1 doubles. My team had a fairly successful year placing in the top 4 of our league. Individually, my season was cut short by a loss in the first round of the league singles tournament. After my first year I moved up to the number one singles spot and maintained my doubles position. That year I placed fourth in the league singles tournament and took first in the league doubles tournament. My partner and I went on to win the District 3 doubles title. My junior and senior year I was undefeated in all singles play taking first place in the Lancaster Lebanon League twice as well as a first place and a third place finish in District 3 singles play. I was voted Lancaster Lebanon League Player of the Year two years in a row. Outside of high school tennis I competed in USTA tournaments on local and national stages. By my senior year I was ranked in the top 20 in the middle states section, which includes PA, NJ, and DE.

Was there any one point in your high school career that you knew you had a chance to play at the Division II level?

I pretty much knew right off the bat that I was going to play college tennis. When I started playing seriously, I laid down pretty much everything else I had going on and dedicated myself to being the best that I could be. When I got to high school I was winning more matches than my teammates and started to get some attention from smaller schools. My junior year was my first taste of real success and that’s when I started gaining more attention.

Were you recruited to play in college? If so, by who?

I was recruited by about 15 schools all over the country. Some of the schools were D3, some D2, and some D1. I can name a few: The College of New Jersey, University of Mary Washington, University of Hartford, St. Joseph’s University, West Virginia Wesleyan, and all of the schools in the PSAC division with men’s tennis teams.

Can you tell us a little bit about your experience during the recruiting process?

Most of my recruiting experiences were very positive. Most of the coaches made initial contact with me, but after that it was up to me to set up visitations and times to communicate with the coach about the team and the program. Recruiting trips were great. I can’t remember a visit that I didn’t enjoy at all. Every school has something to offer, you just have to figure out what’s right for you.

Here are a few simple thing I learned from my recruiting experiences; Put yourself and your skills in front of the coach. They need to see that you’re worth it! Yes, your parents might be there with you, but the coach wants to get to know you. They aren’t recruiting your parents. Make your presence known! Secondly, make sure you ask questions to the coach, the players, and other people you meet on the trip. Get the ups, downs, and most of the ins and outs. You want a broad picture! That place will be your life, so you want to enjoy it!

Who helped you make the decision on which college to go to? Was the decision made strictly because of tennis, or were there other factors at play?

Unfortunately for me, my decision was completely dictated by my financial situation. Division 3 schools cannot offer athletic scholarships, and of the 10+ schools I visited I heard a lot of the same thing. All of our scholarship money is wrapped up in our current athletes, and it will become available to you when they graduate. At that point in my tennis career I knew that I had to choose a school that was going to be cost effective for me, provided me with the college tennis experience I wanted, and would give me the flexibility to focus on my education and all the other wonderful things college has to offer. It may seem like a lot to ask for, but this is your life! Why settle? Fortunately for me, I found my home at Millersville University.

Can you explain your absolute best experiences during your college career?

So many things come to mind when I think about the best experiences I had at Millersville. One of my favorite trips we took as a team was our annual spring break trip to Hilton Head South Carolina. Tennis, friends, drinking, warmth, beaches, food. What else can I say?

Lastly, what advice would you give to any high school athlete who dreams to play at the collegiate or professional level?

Take advantage of every opportunity to make yourself a better athlete and a better person. As a coach there is nothing I can’t stand more than watching a young athlete miss a chance to compete or even practice because they are scared away by the competition. If you don’t throw yourself in the ring with the top dogs, you will never learn how to rise to the occasion. If you want to play a college sport and beyond you are going to have to step up! It might be uncomfortable now, but it will be worth it when you are killing it when it really counts.

-Interview by Alex Einhorn / BE Sports Media

 

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