Isabella Crossman has been granted a scholarship to play division one tennis for the Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. Photos: Aidan Briggs.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Torrumbarry’s own Isabella Crossman is about to embark on the journey of a lifetime.
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The 18-year-old tennis ace has received a scholarship to play tennis and study at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona in the United States.
GCU is ranked among the top 50 women’s tennis programs in the NCAA division one rankings, the highest level of collegiate tennis in United States.
Along with daily training sessions both in a squad and privately as well as regular matches and competitions, Crossman will be studying an undergraduate degree in primary school education.
Crossman, the daughter of local tennis coaches Andrew and Sarah, has the sport in her blood, first picking up a racquet at the age of three.
Since reaching the age of 12, Crossman has been travelling to Melbourne and Bendigo to compete in nationals tournaments and receiving extra coaching and playing time.
Her highest junior girls ranking was 237th in the world, achieved last year but due to studying for her VCE she hasn't been able to play as much.
She participated in the under-18 National Championships in early December where she made the second round of the singles tournament and made the semi-final of the doubles.
Crossman spoke about her process of choosing a college to attend and provided insight into the process of landing a scholarship from a division one school.
“College is a good pathway, to get an education first and then trying to go pro, many girls and boys do that because it is so difficult to succeed in tennis,” she said.
“At the start of this year I started talking to schools, firstly it was colleges reaching out to me through my dm’s and then myself and mum wrote up a big email and sent that to the top 70 ranked schools.
“We started having those conversations, calls and face times with different schools until we started getting offers from coaches for scholarships.
“I had a few options and then ended up picking GCU, they placed 50 in division one last year and I got an offer from them.
“The campus seemed modern and lovely but my main reason for picking the school I did came down to my coach because that’s who I’ll be learning from and spending the majority of my time with.”
Crossman will be serving up her best as she prepares to take America by storm.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
Crossman won’t have too much time to soak in the whole experience as her new schedule is packed to the brim with training and classes with her first official matches commencing just two weeks after she lands in Phoenix.
“We do two hours of group lessons a day, an hour fitness and 30 minutes to an hour private, so pretty much three hours of tennis and an hour of fitness as well as a few hours of classes a day,” she said.
“My first matches are over the 13th to the 15th of January where we will be playing against the University of California.”
GCU has offered to fund Crossman while she plays in women’s International Tennis Federation events to get a professional ranking.
Crossman reflected on the life-changing journey she is about to begin, with a mixture of nerves and excitement at the forefront as her flight date of December 31 looms near.
“I am really excited to head over there, but it is pretty scary, it is getting close now, and I’ll be there for four and half months to start with then come back for the big summer break in the middle of the year,” she said.
“It is good that I am not there for too long to start with but then after that, I think I might stay there for a while and have holidays there, they’ll fund me to play women’s ITF events to try and get my ranking.
“The funding and having a coach with me is a great opportunity to develop and get a ranking without having to get the funds for it.
“I’m keen for the whole experience, the tennis, a new country, the college experience, it seems so cool, I have been talking to my roommates, and they seem perfect, so I am very excited.”
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