Natalie Stanton '18 Recruiting Profile

Growing up in the small town of Saint Helena, being recognized for sports is difficult. On top of that, womens sports makes it more tough to be noticed. I started playing tennis at the age of five with my grandmother on our red clay court, the only red clay in Napa Valley, and ever since then I have watched professional tennis players and college players. It has been my biggest aspiration to play college tennis on a scholarship. Before I started high school, I would hit with younger kids around town for fun and to benefit them. It was a great experience for the parents to notice that an adolescent was interested in the sport and going into high school. When I started high school, I was not aware that the tennis team was co-ed until the spring season started. Then, my athletic director informed me that nobody has received a tennis scholarship at our school, and ever since then it has been my main goal to get a scholarship, to be the first person, the first woman. I wanted to prove to my school that tennis is an important sport. During the high school season, other schools started noticing me and I got press starting about me and my team. My team looked up to me when other schools talked about us. I was the captain of the team and they all looked to me to give them pep talks in the bus rides up to the match, and after our match having dinner or going home. I have been hitting with children and adults on my spare time and it has gained me the wise, mature leadership that I bring to my team to inspire them to go out on the court and do their absolute best. In return to the pep talks, I was awarded with All-Conference team and individual awards. I have a good sense of humor in times when others get down on themselves, and I always find a way to make my team laugh off their mistakes and make them forget.