Junior Player Spotlight: Athina Schlepphorst, Dwight Global Online School

When she was five-years-old, Athina Schlepphorst’s parents signed her up for a summer camp in her native England. It was a way for her to stay active in the summer and try new things, but it also turned out to be the launching pad for her to find her passion.

The camp included many different sports, and the one that stood out most to the impressionable Schlepphorst was tennis.

“During the week we played a lot of tennis, as well as other sports, but at the end of the week the tennis coach went up to my mother and said that he saw how much potential I had,” she recalls. “He said I had great hand-eye coordination compared to the other kids in the camp. I began taking lessons at our local club, playing one or two hours a week, and that was really the beginning of my tennis career.”

Soon after that, Schlepphorst competed in a Red Ball tournament, which she won, amplifying her desire to continue playing.

“It was my first tournament, so that was a great memory and ever since then I have been playing tennis.”

Along the way, she did play other sports such as swimming, golf, a British sport called net ball (similar to basketball). Competing in those sports helped her develop other skills that translate to tennis, but also helped her realize that the tennis court was where she longed to be.

As her tennis development continued, she continued to get better and impressed. Some of her favorite memories of those early tennis days was competing at the Road to Wimbledon, the largest junior tournament in Great Britain. The prestigious under-14 international event is held on the courts of the All-England Lawn Tennis Club, and Schlepphorst qualified for the event three straight years.

It was competing on those courts that she saw what her tennis future could hold, and helped build a foundation of confidence and motivation.

“The tournament mirrored a Grand Slam environment, with all-white dress codes, official umpires and line judges, and access to player areas like the locker rooms and Aorangi Café. I reached the final twice and finally managed to win the title in 2021,” she recalls. “Competing on the same grass as the sport’s greatest players and seeing Centre Court from the cafeteria made the experience so inspirational but also reinforced the feeling that Wimbledon was no longer a distant dream, but something within reach.”

In the early part of 2021, her father received a job offer here in the United States that moved the family to New Jersey. In order to maintain her training and travel schedule, Schlepphorst and her parents were seeking a school that accommodated those needs without sacrificing academics.

They found that in Dwight Global Online School, and enrolled when they arrived here in the States.

“During COVID, I had experience with remote learning, and I saw that I was able to thrive in the environment, which made for perfect timing when we were looking for schools here,” Schlepphorst, now a senior, recalls. “It’s been the best decision. Dwight has been so supportive, and the school is completely flexible. Back in the UK, I attended an in-person school and it got to the point where it was overwhelming. The students and teachers didn’t really understand my schedule and what my tennis training entailed. The Dwight School understands how much time and effort I put into tennis, and it allowed me to travel more, and play in more tournaments. It’s been great.”

Dwight Global allows its students to pursue excellence without compromise, providing them with the freedom to chart their own course of study, take classes at home or on the road and pursue their passions. Because of this, Dwight has the infrastructure and experience to benefit top tennis players.

“Every year I have been there, the deans and the teachers have been great in making sure we don’t fall behind in our work, staying in contact with us when we are on the road,” said Schlepphorst. “They give us the support we need to make sure we get the work done, and attain the best possible grades.”

With that freedom and flexibility, Schlepphorst has shined on the tennis court. She has spent time competing in ITF tournaments across the globe, including Canada, and numerous countries both in Europe and South America. She has plans on playing in tournaments in Asia this year as well.

The experience of traveling for these tournaments has not only helped Schlepphorst elevate her tennis game, but gave her an appreciation for the opportunities she has to travel and play the sport she loves.

“I’ve traveled to many countries that without tennis I probably would never have been able to. It’s a great opportunity to learn and experience different cultures rather than just reading or learning about it from a textbook. I’ve visited local museums and tried local foods, so I am very fortunate that tennis has given me these types of opportunities.”

On the court, Schlepphorst is an all-court player who likes to play aggressive while mixing in a lot of variety. Standing tall at 6’1, she utilizes a strong serve but is also able to slice and come to the net effectively. Currently her focus is on pressuring her opponents during long rallies, and being smarter with when she chooses to be aggressive during points.

Her game caught the attention of college coaches from across the country. Not being from the United States originally, her family and her did not know much about the college recruitment process, and the stress and pressure it often brings. However, that potential trouble was eased when she visited the University of Pennsylvania, the place where she will continue her tennis career.

“It was all very new to us, but after speaking with some of my friends we understood it better. I met some coaches when I was at the USTA Hard Court Nationals in California last summer, and my first visit was to UPenn,” Schlepphorst recalls. “Immediately when I arrived on campus, I loved it. I had a great experience meeting with the coaches and the whole team, the coach was passionate about me joining the team which meant a lot to me. The school is fantastic academically, and that was an important factor to me. The balance between athletics and academics means a lot to my family. Between the great staff, teammates and academics, I knew it was the place for me.”

Her goal before arriving on campus is to continue improving and moving up the rankings of the ITF circuit, as well as earn a WTA ranking. Schlepphorst has begun playing lower-level WTA events in order to achieve that goal.

“I just want to keep improving my tennis in the short-term, but in the long-term I would love to get to a level where I could play Grand Slams, especially Wimbledon,” she said.