Mandi Becher '23 Recruiting Profile

Hi coaches!! I am Mandi Becher currently 16 playing #1 Varsity singles at New Prague high school.

I fell in love with Tennis the first time I picked up my racket. Going into sixth grade I tried tennis and quickly loved it more than I thought I would. I exceeded in the sport very rapidly. By the end of my sixth grade year I was playing #4 singles on my Middle school team. I was a jack-in-a-box ready to explode. My seventh grade year I got invited to play up at the HS for tennis. I was so excited and ready to get tons of new experience playing older and more seasoned players than myself. Seventh grade year I ended up playing #2 doubles with my Sophomore sister, and often #3/4 singles for JV.  Fast forward to eighth grade year I am moved up the ladder. I mainly played exhibition singles for varsity, often #4 singles, and #4 doubles in conference&sections. I take private and group lessons. I also attended Summer camps to improve my game on and off the court during off season. Then the worst thing any athlete could imagine happened...

July 4th, 2019 I tore my ACL and Meniscus while pole vaulting. My heart broke knowing I wouldn't be able to play the sport I loved for close to a year. I had surgery at the tail end of July, I have been doing physical therapy the past year to get me back to where I want to be and more. My dedication to my therapy and recovery is a big part of my character. I am dedicated and always will dedicated to what I love. A lot of days during my recovery process made me want to quit and simply settle and give up, but I didn't. While I was having those hard days I would always repeat to myself, tennis, tennis tennis. The repetition reminding me of what I am working towards would got me through. It sounds cheesy but that's exactly what I needed to get my mind back on track, and to see my goals again.  I am now fully recovered and playing tennis just like I had been dreaming about all recovery year. 

I am an excellent candidate for any team.  I have this burning passion in my chest for tennis, and a drive that has gotten me this far, and I know it will take me even further than I can even imagine. I am very coachable. I am a 4 sport athlete, so I am used to being coached, taking in new advice, trying it out and learning from it. I am in band&choir, so I make frequent mistakes, but I know how to take the time to go back, perfect the mistakes, and retain the new skill. I am an excellent student in school. I have kept an A honor roll status, and 3.9 GPA in my classes. I keep up with all of my extracurriculars on top of my academics and sports. I have a heart and devotion for tennis that I believe is something special. I have never given up on myself or the sport when things got vey very hard, and I never will. I am dedicated, passionate, and loving of the sport that makes me, well me.