Jacob HOLMES
Tennis
Welcome by Jacob Holmes I started playing tennis relatively late, age 11/12, but have improved quickly, catching up other players in my club and county who started at a much younger age. Unlike many players in the UK, my tennis is completely driven by me, not my parents. I arrange all my own training sessions, practice hits and tournaments, making my own way to as many of them as possible instead of relying on my parents. My coach has said I have one of the best techniques of anyone he has ever taught. I think this is because since I �rst started, I have listened and tried my hardest to do everything he said, and I make sure I understand everything he teaches me. I try to make the most of everything I am taught, so I can continue to improve quickly. As well as tennis, I am also strong academically, but this has never inspired me as much as tennis. However, it has greatly helped my tennis as I understand how to think in matches, and how best to attack any weakness my opponent has, and use my weapons to the best of their ability. It has helped me improve my competing skills over the last few years; I think matches through intelligently, and come up with sensible game plans before and during matches, asking my coach I need any help. I am completely dedicated to tennis and would love the opportunity to represent a college team in matches, and train every day, both on court and o� court, with a coach and team who can help me continue to improve my game.
SAT
NCAA
GPA
1400
TBC
4.0
High School: Truro School Location: Cornwall US College Start: Fall 2018
GCSES Biology - A* English Lan - A* Geography - A* RE - a* Chemistry - A*
German - A* French - A* English Lit - A* Maths - A* Physics - A* Geology - A*
Jacob Holmes : Sporting Elite - Tennis, 3
Current Club: Heron Tennis Club UTR Rating: 10.64 Coach: Steven Askey
Video Footage
Reference To whom it may concern,
I have coached Jacob since he started playing tennis at the age of 12. He quickly developed a love for the game and despite being a relatively late comer to competitive tennis, has rapidly caught up with some of the best players in his age group in the South-West region of the UK.
Academically, he is an A star student and this intelligence has transferred to his tennis. His playing style and height (he is over 6-foot-tall) sees him favour using a 1-2 combination when he uses his strong serve followed by his forehand. He is technically very sound and has a good all-round game (can vary coming forwards with staying back, uses the full mix of spins and varies his play in terms of angles and depth too). He is increasingly becoming a smart and tough competitor, especially after playing for his club’s first men’s team for the last couple of seasons. He has a mature attitude, which is characterised by a hard work ethic, self discipline (organising all his own weekly practices including sets, wall volleys and serving) and self motivation (he loves the game!). He is also becoming a humble, fair and very decent young man!
Jacob has competed in approximately 35-40 events each year in the few years leading up to university, which has included travelling to Germany for the past few summers to compete.
My knowledge of helping develop young players has included secondary experience, via my coaching apprenticeship with former ATP and WTA coach Gordon Birt, and also first-hand experience, via coaching players such as Artem Sitak (currently 50 ATP for doubles) and players who were offered tennis scholarships to the University of Miami (Ohio) and Harvard. I believe that Jacob's tennis will be ready to "take off" if he is able to secure a place to a US university that offers a quality and intensive programme of practices, fitness sessions and matches. I also believe that once awarded a place, Jacob will make the most of the opportunity by also signing in for ITF Futures events (Jacob knows the US offers the best opportunities in the world to promising players in terms of qualifying draw sizes) when he is permitted to.
Finally, I wholly endorse Jacob's application and believe he will do himself, the university he eventually attends, our tennis academy here in the UK, his parents and the game proud!
Please do not hesitate to contact me for more information. See below for contact details.
Steven Askey
Director of Coaching & Head Coach, Ace Tennis Coaching & Academy and the Heron Tennis Centre
Tel: 07790017603, Email: saskey78@yahoo.com, Facebook: Ace Tennis Newquay, Web: www.heron-tennis.co.uk
Heron Tennis Centre, Trenance Leisure Park, Edgcumbe Avenue, Newquay, Cornwall, TR7 2LZ Steven Askey
Jacob Holmes : Sporting Elite - Tennis, 5