Richard Yuh '15 Recruiting Profile

My name is Richard Yuh, and I'm an year-round tennis athlete from Pleasanton, California in the East Bay region, planning to major in civil engineering. I started playing this sport at age 7, started taking serious private lessons since age 11, and played high school tennis for the last three years, supplementing my tennis experience with tournaments at the Challenger and Open levels in the Northern California region. I played #2 JV tennis my freshmen year, #5 varsity singles my sophomore year, #1 varsity singles my junior year, and am expecting to play another year in varsity for my final season in the spring. Playing competitive tennis at the collegiate level has been an aspiration of mine, since my first year in high school when I decided to take my skills to the next level. 

One of my defining characteristics is my work ethic, which speaks for itself through my grades, test scores, and tennis performance in the high school level. Balancing academics and sports has rarely been an issue for me, having never missed a match or practice due to poor grades or excessive homework load. Though college will demand a lot more academically than high school, I have grown accustomed to finding time for practices and matches and effective time-management skills. I believe that the team should come first, and failing to uphold my responsibilities on and off the court directly affects my teammates and my coaches. 

Another defining characteristic is my training regimen and my tennis assets. I use my size and height to my advantage, and having the fastest serve on my varsity team for the last two years was not uncommon. I would describe my style of play as an aggressive baseliner, but I'm not afraid to volley at the net, especially after a powerful first serve. I have been practicing the serve-and-volley style to supplement my serve. My tennis "weapons" are the backhand and forehand angled approach shots. If my opponent has a soft return to the service area, I will usually end the point with a cross-court shot at a sharp angle to place the ball where the other player can't return. 

What I can offer to the team extends beyond solely match play. During the high school season, I frequently lead stretches, bring refreshments and snacks on game days, and help clean up the courts. I always bring a positive and determined attitude and avoid carrying stress from other areas of my life to the court. I understand the value of hard work and sacrifice to reach a goal and hope to do so on a college team.