When a young person wants to dedicate their life to sports but at the same time train academically by studying a degree, the situation usually becomes complicated. However, in countries like the United States, there are scholarships dedicated to these profiles so that they do not abandon their passion while pursuing their studies.
This is the case of ten tennis players from Lanzarote who, with the help of these scholarships in the American country, are achieving their goals. Juan Ramón Martín, the island delegate of tennis in Lanzarote, is one of the enthusiasts of this sport and aims to spread the idea that both activities can be combined without having to abandon one of them.
"The American education system offers many opportunities and is so flexible that it is very difficult for a kid not to find what they want to study," says Martín.
This has allowed that for 15 years, several young people from Lanzarote have obtained scholarships to study in the United States through sports, in this case, tennis. "There are scholarships that cover up to 100% of the cost and others 80%, among other levels," he explains.
They have all contacted different companies and signed exclusivity contracts, which help them in the search for universities. "The elements that are valued and that serve as tools in the selection include the level of tennis, as well as the grades from ESO to EBAU. Their skills, technique, and mobility are also demonstrated, which acts as a cover letter and basis for universities to find the best talent, as well as the student's level of English and teamwork," he indicates.
Profiles of the tennis players from Lanzarote
Alejandro Martín, 17, is one of the young people who wants to cross the pond to have a high-level sports and academic education. "The United States is for colleagues and for me an enriching experience on a personal and sports level with studies," he says.
Martín, who wants to study Finance or Business, wants to progress in parallel in tennis. "I have just finished all the necessary requirements so that universities can offer me a scholarship and one of the most important aspects is the presentation video, in which you talk a little about yourself and the coaches can see your level, your technique, and how you move on the court," says the athlete.
Pablo Merino was also immersed in this experience at Union College, a university located in the heart of Kentucky. "Every day there felt like I was living in a movie, surrounded by beautiful landscapes and a community that fostered personal and academic growth," he says.
However, after a year and a half, he made the decision to transfer to Dillard University, in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. "The reasons were many: I longed for a more tropical climate, the energy of a larger city, and, above all, the incredible "vibes" that are breathed in every corner," he says.
Both universities belong to the NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics), "which allowed me to continue competing in tennis and forge friendships that, without a doubt, will accompany me throughout my life," he expresses.
Miguel Lazaga, for his part, started playing tennis when he was 7 years old. He is currently studying Biology and Environmental Sciences in the USA, at Northwest Mississippi Community College and is in his first year.
"The experience so far has been great, exceeding my expectations from the day I arrived, and I was surprised by the good level of tennis there is and the seriousness with which sports are taken at the university level," declares Lazaga.
Regarding education, he assures that "there are some subjects that are easier to take but the main ones are more complicated and you have to be aware of the many homework assignments they send you."
From a very young age, Rubén Peñate knew that tennis was his passion. "At the age of 12, I went to Barcelona to train as a tennis player and when I reached the age to decide whether to be a professional tennis player or not, I decided to continue with my studies combining it with tennis in 2009, at Barry University in Miami," he declares.
"It is a wonderful experience, the university is dedicated to the players, also for being a foreigner, and from the first moment they help you in the management of studies, exams, assignments, etc. There are certain advantages for representing the university in competitions," he says excitedly.
In addition, "the level is demanding, both in studies and in training, and they force you to lead an orderly life, on and off the court," he explains. "I was there for 3 years, I had to leave it due to injuries but the camaraderie is very important, a family is created," he says.
Raúl Vilariño has been in the United States for a short time, just a month, and is in Chicago at Roosevelt University. "My experience in the month I've been here has been incredible as I'm in a completely new place and I'm meeting a lot of new people," he expresses.
And living alone in another country makes you mature. "Maturity is quite important, since being on another continent where your parents are not, you have to get yourself out of trouble since you have almost no help. You learn to live alone and be much more organized and clean. I, for example, didn't do anything at home, I was quite disorganized and didn't clean much, but here it's the opposite," he assures.
There are also examples of young people who almost have tennis in their blood and learn it from a very young age. This is the case of Alejandro Béjar, a Madrid native raised in Lanzarote. "I started playing at 9 years old at the Hotel San Antonio in the city council group where my first coach, Diego Cardozo, soon pushed me to pursue the sport more seriously. At 12 years old, I was already traveling to tournaments in Gran Canaria, Tenerife, and the Peninsula every week to play national tournaments," he recalls.
At 18 years old and with the encouragement of his family, Béjar managed to travel to the American continent to pursue a degree and also train in the sports field. "After several offers of academic and sports scholarships in many places, I ended up pursuing my degree in Management and Business Administration at Presbyterian College, a Division 1 university located in South Carolina. In those 4 wonderful years, we won 3 conference championships; we achieved a national ranking in the top 75 in the country; and played the prestigious NCAA National tournament," he highlights.
In this stage, the young man was able to "mature, create unforgettable moments with colleagues and friends, and take advantage of this stage as much as possible," he says. After 6 years in the southern US, four of degree and two of master's, and through relationships forged within a court, the tennis player moved to New York to work for the academy of the former world number one, John McEnroe. "There I managed high-level players who were looking to enter the circuit or top-level universities, in addition to directing national and regional tournaments," he declares.
Doubts when making such an important decision
Likewise, there are doubts about whether or not to go to a foreign country to study and practice tennis at the same time. Felipe González is another of the Lanzarote natives who had this idea in his head until he decided to take the step and fulfill his dream. He was awarded a scholarship by Nichols University, located in Massachusetts, and combines his studies of a double degree in Economics - Business with tennis.
"At the beginning of this year was when I really realized that I couldn't let this opportunity escape, and here I am, living this great experience," he assures. Regarding studies, "at the beginning it was a bit complicated since all the classes are in English, and it was quite difficult for me, but as the weeks have passed, the improvement is noticeable," explains González.
Regarding the sports part, he is "very happy." "We have a great coach who helps us achieve our goal, to win, and, in addition, the tennis team surprised me for the better because I didn't think there would be this great level of tennis," he expresses. "Although at the beginning everything is a bit difficult, since it is difficult to meet people, separate from your family and friends, it is worth it," assures the tennis player.
Ian Pedersen also decided to live this enriching experience and studies at North Carolina A&T University. In December he finishes his third year in the United States, where he studies Liberal Studies and next year he will study a minor in Marketing.
Pedersen didn't know what the experience would be like but he is delighted, he has been surprised by the great reception he has had from his teammates and the coach. "The relationship with the team is very good, it has given me the opportunity to meet people of many nationalities and the coach knows a lot about tennis, and knows how to lead us, he says.
Luisa Renovales, for her part, studies Marketing and arrived in the United States in 2021 and at Eastern Florida State College, where she played in national-level matches where she reached the semi-finals. "This year I am the captain of the team and I am very happy because it is something I have worked hard for and, in addition, I am part of the SAAC committee and I help in projects to improve the experience as an athlete in the country," she says.
Obstacles along the way that can be overcome
However, sometimes athletes encounter situations that interfere with their career but from which they must know how to get up. This is what happened to María Perdomo, who went to the United States in 2011 because at 16 years old she was diagnosed with a serious shoulder problem that prevented her from continuing to play tennis professionally.
"At 17 I was contacted by a company that is dedicated to giving scholarships to go to the United States and, after evaluating it with the doctors, we decided that I could try to see if the shoulder could handle it and finally it could handle it based on infiltrations and other treatments, so I played for four years," she declares.
After the treatment, the young woman decided to stay to pursue a master's degree and work in the country. "I worked as a psychologist and director of a clinic while I had a tennis academy set up and combined both things and was very happy," she says.
"Without a doubt it is an experience that I recommend to everyone because it helps you mature and be responsible with your time. It is very hard at the same time for not having your family or your land close but it is a very enriching experience," she concludes.
