Each player is assigned a coaching tutor, who is responsible for monitoring the development of that player. All ASC technical coaches have RPT and USPTA certifications.
The system is comprised of a chain of drills and exercises that covers all areas and helps players develop patterns through repetition of predetermined plays. This repetition creates positive habits. In addition to competition experience, ASC students practice match play situations to recognize the different patterns of their opponents, learning to devise their own patterns and develop personal court strategies.
PHYSICAL PILLAR – THE ATHLETE BODY SYSTEM
ASC’s daily physical training (Monday to Friday) is comprised of 1-2 hours of athlete-specific performance training. ASC Athlete Body programs are designed for the tennis athlete; they work on all aspects of speed, power, agility, quickness, coordination, balance, core and recovery, with injury prevention in mind at all times.
ASC performance specialists design each session based on the level of each tennis athlete, keeping in mind the player’s need to prepare for key tournaments. Every player is assigned a physical training “tutor” who is responsible for monitoring his/her long-term athletic development.
Nutrition is a key factor within a player’s training regimen because it influences directly the performance/development of each athlete. The ASC Food & Beverage Department provides each player with the opportunity to develop healthy nutritional habits.
The ASC Nutritional Guide teaches athletes the importance of a complete nutrition and hydration plan. Each plate is prepared with the appropriate amount of carbohydrates, protein and fat. ASC also provides a complete salad bar, vegetables, fruits, and a daily soup. Students are encouraged to make nutritional choices that will ensure their performance remains high.
MENTAL PILLAR – The Athlete Mind System
Sport Psychologists handle all the mind components of the ASC training program: “ASC Athlete Mind System”. They work daily with players on court, supervising the mental goals set for that specific period.
The ultimate objective is to provide all players with the tools, strategies and techniques to make them mentally tougher, on and off the court. Key focus areas include: concentration, activation level, stress control and confidence.
A key tool in the Athlete Mind System is the ASC diary, compiled by each player and his/her coach. It enables the player and coach to set goals and track progress via regular evaluations.
ASC also delivers mental training off court and emphasizes integrated communication between the tennis coaches and the school teachers to help coordinate the development of its students-athletes and maximize their opportunities for success.
In summary, the primary goal is to create the best motivational climate possible, and provide the right mental tools to help all ASC players be the best they can be, both in tennis and in life.
By Ivette Nieto & Tatiana Batalla, Marketing Deparment
Fitness, one pillar of the ASC 360 Performance System
Fitness in tennis represents a very strong and important pillar on the players preparation; a well designed physical plan can be the key factor for a successful match result. At ASC daily physical training is composed of 1 hour of athlete-specific performance training; working on different aspects including: speed, power, agility, quickness, coordination, balance, and core.
An organized and goal oriented fitness preparation also works on creating important habits that are necessary in high performance activities; as well as understanding the athlete body system by teaching players on how to take care of their bodies through recovery time and stretching routines in order to prevent injuries.
Important elements like an optimal hydration and nutrition make also part of the Fitness pillar.
Hydration is a key factor on players preparation which helps them to increase energy, improves movements, recovery and agility, hence improving physical performance. Proper hydration also help to prevent cramps, heat exhaustion, and reduce the risk of injuries, therefore, creating the habit of well hydration in athletes leads to improves muscle function, regulates blood pressure, and improve circulation. on the other hand a poor hydration can leads to muscle hence increasing the risk of injuries.
Nutritionissimplyimportantbecauseitrepresents a sourceof energytoperform. A propernutritionimpactsonthe strength, performance and recovery. Creatinghabitsof optimalnutrition are necessarytomeet performance goals.
Derek Touchette, Head of Fitness Department, explained to us that the planning and the intensity of the fitness training are prepared along with the evolution and performance of each tennis player. He also explains, based on the ASC Pyramid, how he applies the fitness planning with the performance and evolution stage of each tennis player. In this short clip, Derek also shares with us what are his challenges and goals to achieve with every athlete and what motivates him to keep giving his 100% everyday at Sanchez-Casal Academy.
By Daniel Muñoz Pozo, Head of Communications & Media at Sánchez-Casal Academy.
Coaches of the Digital Age: Sánchez-Casal with Playsight, Head Sensor, and Technogym, and the renovation of GreenSet courts.
The start of the new academic year at our headquarters in Barcelona comes full of news. We would like to share with you all the improvements we have made, all of which center around the player as the main protagonist of our project.
High Performance requires that we continuously innovate in our methods of training. When we talk about technology and data, there are ideal ingredients that give added value to the recognized and comprehensive ASC 360 Training System. The following technology and data tools have been implemented on campus this season:
Playsight’s recording and video analysis system; Head Sensors on the racket, new GreenSeet courts, and the complete renovation of our facilities in the gym alongside Technogym, the leading brand in the sector.
These technologies allow us to optimize training sessions and improve player development. For example, Playsight permits the recording of matches and training, alongside visualization on court of technical and tactical details, both of which are key pillars of the Sánchez-Casal system.
Head Sensors facilitate instantaneous access to key data coming from a memory card that is inserted in the tennis racket cap. As a result, players can visualize the point of impact, and precise details in the service.
In addition, the new machinery and technology of Technogym helps players obtain maximum performance from each training: a principal objective of the physical field. Technogym’s (official supplier of fitness equipment to the Olympic Games), Skillmill ™ line is showcased in our new gym. This line allows players to improve fitness in areas such as power, speed, endurance and agility, giving them significant advantages in their professional sports training.
AUSTRALIAN OPEN ARRIVES TO SÁNCHEZ-CASAL COURTS
One of the most significant additions for this academic year is the renewal of 3 courts by our provider GreenSet, with their new Cushion surface, a surface chosen this year to be used in the Australian Open Grand Slam.
The new courts, which provide a better absorption of the bounce, will allow our players to adapt to and feel the same sensations and speed of play as that which the ATP and WTA players will have in Melbourne.
All of these announcements represent the latest innovations at the Sánchez-Casal Academy, which is currently celebrating 20 years of taking care of the development and evolution of players. Our innovations embrace both technological and digital aspects, and a renovation of our infrastructure.
With these advances and renovations, the Sánchez-Casal coaches and players will work this year on the following three important pillars of the Sánchez-Casal system: the technical pillar, tactical pillar and the physical pillar. Thanks to our personalized treatment, communication has always been fundamental to the evolution and development of the player, and communication will be further facilitated by these technological advances, truly making a difference to each player’s development.
Daniel Muñoz Pozo Head of Communications & Media at Sánchez-Casal Academy
By Héctor Ruiz, Tennis director, Sánchez-Casal Academy Nanjing
ASC has been creating opportunities in live through tennis during more than 20 years. More than 3 years ago we started in Nanjing with a wonderful project with TAC and bringing here our ASC 360 Tennis System®, based on working on the four pillars withdifferent ages. Depending on the age of the player we are focusing more in one or another pillar. Since then, the performance and the results of our players have been successful as in the last Youth Games. We knew that tournament was important, so we were giving priority in the calendar to make our players reach in the best possible condition, working in singles matches and doubles. It was a period of tension and nerves for the players, they wanted to do great. Apart from the usual hard work that is always needed, we were working in a proper way the right pillars, helping the playersimprove and to find solutions for the different situations that they could find. Teaching them how to play with order and manage their emotions in order to perform good in the thought moments. The attitude and the results were very good, we feel proud of our players. Even if in some tournaments sometimes the results could’ve been better, the important thing in these ages is to learn. Everyone wants to win, but we try to make them understand that even if they lose, they have toperform their best and work hard every day having a good attitude. If they apply that sooner, they will see the success later.
After 3 years in China, I have seen ASC grow up not only in the number of players but also in the results. The performance of the players on the practices and on the different tournaments since U10 is improving day a day. We can see our players growing up as a player but also as a person that is the purpose of what we are working on, building a character in them through values, school and tennis. There has been cultural differences and difficulties, but the important thing is to learn from oneanother and to look forward, to see an evolution of the players that are here to enjoy and to fight to achieve their dreams.
Players like Majun, Denan, David that have been with us during almost all this time, are three of the players that have achieve gold and silver medals in the Youth Games. In this case Majun winning gold in singles and doubles. David being one-year younger won the last Final Nike Junior Tour of his age, a tournament played by the best players of China were Denan reached semifinals.
We are also making some of our players play tournaments abroad of China with the traveling team managed by Arthur to get more experiences and meet different players. We have the advantage of having two other Sanchez-Casal academies in Spain and the US granting our players to compete in Europe and America following with their practices and learning from some of the best coaches in the world with the ASC 360 Tennis System®.
This is a prove that hard work will reward them on each step of the way. It is a long way where it is important to take advantage of the time but without rushing because each one of the players have steps of the performance to follow.
Personally, I have been an ASC player and coach since the beginning of the academy 20 years ago. These last year and a half here in ASC Nanjing I am seeing what we had in Spain a long time ago when I was starting to play tennis for the first time;players that have motivation, that spreada great atmosphere of effort, respect and discipline.
In China the success rate of sports is high, and they work hard to achieve it. In my opinion, I believe that the rest of the world will start to see more and more Chinese tennis players on the top of the pyramid achieving a top 100 ATP level.
We are proud of the successes of our players of ASC China and we invite you to be part of the experience check out our year-round program of ASC Nanjing.
By Eva Pascual, Marketing department, Sánchez-Casal Academy.
At Sánchez-Casal Academy, we have created our own premier training system, the ASC 360 Tennis System®, proven time and time again to be the most effective method of ensuring students-athletes achieve their best tennis level.
Designed by Emilio Sánchez Vicario and Sergio Casal, the system combines the four theoretical pillars of athletic development – technical, tactical, physical (Athlete Body), and mental (Athlete Mind) with the sole objective of pushing players to achieve their top performance and help them reach their ideal competitive state.
Some of the benefits of the ASC 360 Tennis System ® are:
Designed for all types of players, regardless of age, fitness condition or tennis experience.
Compatible with all types of surfaces (clay, hard, or grass).
Complete system designed to practice and enhance any game style or strategy.
Improve players’ technical skills, physical conditioning, and strategic practices.
Ideal system for players who want to move from the junior stages to the professional circuit.
This successful system has been used by professional ATP and WTA tennis players such as Andy Murray, Grigor Dimitrov, Juan Monaco, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Daniela Hantuchova, Tamira Paszek, Teimuraz Gabashvili, Gilles Müller, Johanna Konta, Maria Sakkari, Anna Blinkova, Ana Ivanovic, Magüi Serna and Arantxa Sánchez Vicario.
What makes our method really unique is that our High Performance training system places equal importance on both the player’s athletic development and on the player’s academic development. Thus, academics are provided through our own school, ES International School, which is located within the grounds of the tennis academy.
ES International School focuses on the academic, social and emotional development of students from first grade through 12th grade, spanning Elementary School, Middle School and High School. In Elementary School, we are currently a candidate school for the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP) and are pursuing authorization to become an official IB World School in September 2020.
In High School, we offer an Honors and Advanced Placement (AP) Classes, providing students with the skills necessary to be successful as they continue onto university. We work actively with our students so they can obtain athletic and academic scholarships at universities across the United States.
We are proud of one of the recent accolades achieved by the Academy founders: in 2017, Emilio Sanchez and Sergio Casal received the Philippe Chatrier Award: which is the ITF’s highest accolade, awarded to individuals for their outstanding contributions to tennis. As ITF President David Haggerty said: “We are delighted to present Sergio Casal and Emilio Sanchez with the Philippe Chatrier Award for their contributions to tennis as a successful doubles team and in the field of coaching. Their on-court achievements paved the way for further Spanish success, and in founding a successful coaching academy, they have shaped the careers of several prominent players and the lives of many more.”
We invite you to get to know our Academy and our system by joining any of our Weekly Programs in Naples (FL, USA), Barcelona (Spain), Atlanta (GA, USA) or Nanjing (China).
Eva Pascual Marketing department, Sánchez-Casal Academy
By Emilio Sanchez,CEO and Founder of the Academia Sanchez-Casal.
When you read the masterpiece of The little prince from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, depending on your personal stage the outcome is different. It does not have an end. The Rafa of today with the trophy represents the little prince, it has been reinvented.
Rafa is already the best player in history; he is one slam away to overcome Roger Federer but is only a matter of time, in my opinion on 2020. He is already the best not only for today’s win and be closer but to have turned more every detail in each one of the pillars and have won against a new player.
Mentally, he has always been an inspiration, the best. Here, the big artist has been his uncle Toni, he educated him so that the frustration did not get into his mind, that danger of today’s youth, from most of his rivals, from setting false expectations, it has been a big masterpiece. He learned to be humble, and to be preservative, but most importantly he learned to play the next point as if it was the first one he had mistaken, or like if it was the last one he had to play in his life.
Physically, he has always been the best. Forcades has been able to mold this super athlete in the face of adversity of not being able to practice like the other ones, but being able to overcome and be the best version of him on the though moments. Maymó is the key that on the day of the battle he is able to balance the motor like a F1 to maximize his result.
Tactically, the arrival of Moya with his idea of modern tennis, to change the patron and turn Rafa into an aggressive player that uses his strokes to compete throwing and winning with them, was a big shock. Create a new habit at something that was already working, to somebody that is a walking habit, what a challenge. Roig made a team and with them all they achieved the impossible. With the triumph of Roland Garros this year and now this US Open they have shown us a masterpiece. Win winning.
Tecnically, he serves better, stronger , better angles, his forehand inside the court is comparable to any of the other’s best ones, the crosscourt backhand is ultimate, his volley penetrates and defines, basically to the whole amazing defense game just multiplied with the attack game as well.
For the little prince the fox, the rose, are his motivations, his team and the snake his rival. Rafa leans on his team, but is the how of the little prince that has the ability to create this ideal stage where sometimes the values, other times his head, other times his talents and his passion to find out solutions, his fortitude and his warrior heart makes him special and we can rewrite his story. The snake and the dark ideas of difficulty are his rivals, the barriers, but with his habits he turns them into motivations and his goals.
Rafa you will break all the records, you will be the best, the KING of tennis, but for me, you will keep being my little prince, reading you each time inspires me and I learned that each day I can be better at what I do and that I can also be the little prince. I wish that as with me, your legacy creates an impact on young people and they take you as a role model , that they learn and become young Rafa’s little princes that in the face of difficulty they reinvent themselves. Congratulations to fight, preserve, triumph and thank you for showing us that to reinvent and to achieve results is possible.
Emilio Sánchez
CEO and Co-Founder of the Academia Sánchez-Casal
Jerry Shang is a 14-year-old player from China. He is part of the ASC Florida annual Tennis and School program for the last 2/2 years. Jerry came straight from ASC headquarters in Nanjing, where he started developing his skills as a player. Since Jerry and his father Yi landed in Naples, Florida in 2016 to play some tournaments, it has been nothing but a pleasure to work and be around them. He explains that at the time he thought that he wasn’t playing well, but that practiced at the Academy and liked the system and the possibility of combining both high-performance tennis and school. That’s when he decided to follow his dreams of being able to achieve a professional level of tennis and study at the same time.
Jerry faced many challenges his first year: to be away from home, to train and study in a language that wasn’t’ his mother tongue; the tight scheduled due to combining daily tennis practice, fitness, mental practice and school. However he adjusted very well and soon found his spot among both his schoolmates and coaches. Today is fluent in English as well as understands Spanish.
Jerry Shang has been next to ASC FL coach Victor Hugo Camargo, from Mexico, during his career as a student-athlete. Jerry’s path has been a success; he won the Boys ’12 Eddie Herr Tournament, the Boys ’14 National Championship, the Boys ’14 Easter Bowl, the $15k Prize Money Sánchez-Casal Series Tournament and the ITF’S great force (Beijing and Aruba) among others.
Victor Hugo explains: “Jerry has become a complete player; in the beginning he was comfortable playing from the baseline but he has learned how to use his strength better and has been working on different types of courts to be able to adapt his game. He is still in the process of using as many tools as possible in order to become as complete as a player as possible.”
He is an example and an inspiration for his fellow student-athletes and he impersonates the values of ASC: Respect, Effort and Discipline on and off the court. As Victor Hugo explains: “More than his game, what makes Jerry exceptional is being a good person, a role model for everybody.”
Jerry is a special person, in words of Emilio Sánchez: “Jerry is a leader, his way of being on the court inspire others, he is a mirror for the academy, he makes a difference towards others and inspire them to become the best version of themselves.”
After achieving the finals of the ITF Monterrey G3 this year Jerry stated that he would like to become a professional player. Now he has to work on achieving this next step. We are proud of what he has become and delighted to work with him on his path towards achieving his goals.
Watch this in depth video analyzing Jerry’s evolution, training, game and upcoming challenges. What does it take to become a top tennis player? How do you work the 4 pillars and what are the most important? What has been his path since he joined ASC Florida? What is his potential? Find answers to these questions and much more here:
By Eva Pascual, Marketing department, Sánchez-Casal Academy.
Last June, a class of 12 students graduated from the Academia Sánchez-Casal and ESIS Barcelona. In the next months, they will start a new journey. Most of them will pursue a university career in the United States and/or Europe, combining sport and studies.
Graduation always provides us a really emotional ceremony, and this year has been especially exciting, considering that the Academia Sánchez-Casal celebrates its twentieth anniversary. In his speech, Emilio Sánchez Vicario gave a valuable piece of advice to the graduating students: ‘Believe in your dreams, because dreams come true. Work hard for them and always maintain your values. I hope that we have helped you on this path, which is the beginning of your next stage‘.
The Class of 2019 has been an atypical class, as 6 students are from Spain, 6 are tennis players, 3 practice a sport other than tennis, and 3 came to us for the academics only. We are proud of all of them:
Well done to all of our graduates! We encourage you to work hard, be respectful and disciplined in all areas of your life, and we hope that all your dreams come true. Also, we say thank you to all the families for trusting us and for letting us become part of their lives.
Good luck, and see you again soon as ASC and ESIS, which will be always your home!
Eva Pascual Marketing department, Sánchez-Casal Academy
By Ivette nieto, Tatiana Batalla and Casey Cummings, Sánchez-Casal Academy.
The graduation is an emotive time where 13 student-athletes become adults, they become independent and they start a new journey that will open doors for their future. They are going to college to pursue their dreams of studying a college career and playing for the tennis team. They earned scholarships by working hard on and off the court, they earned a high school degree by putting time and effort on school, by learning and by enjoying. They have experienced and lived unique moments that they will take with them for the rest of their lives. Sanchez-Casal academy will always be like a second home to all of them, they are student-athletes, they are friends, they are family and now is their time to do great things. Casey Cummings a young student-athlete from Hawaii has been in the academy for 2 and a half years and that has been named player of the year, is one of the graduates graduating with the spring class of 2019. The future of Casey is held at Tufts University in Boston and her big plans in 10 years is working in the United Nations or as a US Supreme Court Justice. Her graduating speech was inspiring and from Sanchez-Casal we want to share it with you.
“The first time I had ever heard of Sanchez Casal was in November of my Sophomore year. I had just turned 16 and my mom had asked me if I wanted to visit a tennis academy in Florida. Of course, I answered yes, I had always dreamt of training at a tennis academy. However, what I have never told anyone is how scared I was to come.
I rememberlanding in Fort Lauderdale on a Friday afternoon, the drive toNaplesseemedtolastforever. Yet, I was so nervousthatthe drive didn’tseemtolastlongenough. OnSaturdaymorning I rememberwalkingtothecourtsformyfirstdayof training. Wherewerecourt 28 and 29? Honestly, I havebeenherefor 2 and a halfyears and itstilltakes me a whileto figure thatout. For a solid 2 weeks I thought Victoria and Pituwerethesameperson, I could nottellthedifferencebetween Mariana and Luisa, and I thought Cacho wasweirdforridingthatdamn scooter everywhere.
As studentswe are alwayscomplainingabouthavingto be at the club at 6:15 forbreakfast, howevermanypeople are herewaybeforeustomakesurethe club isreadyfortheday. Thankyoutothemaintenance staff and cleaning ladies. Thanksformakingsureeverythingisworking, butalsoforpaintingthewallof 22b thatone time wepaintedit gray… Also, I wouldliketothankeveryone in thekitchen. Thankyouforallthe raviolis thisyear and Veronicayourfoodwillalways be myfavorite!Next, I have to thank Xavi and Rogelio for their help. Both are always willing to help us and solve any issues we have. So, thank you Xavi for finding my phone that one time it got stuck inside the panels of the van. Romy, Vivi, Ivette, and Tati, thank you for everything you have done. You four have been so welcoming and are part of the reason that ASC is my 2nd home. I will miss bothering you guys in your office because I’m pretty sure I will not be able to go bother admissions in my university next year.
Lucas, the energy you bring every single day to the tennis courts is inspiring. You show up each day as if you have drank more coffees than Anna Li and we all know that is impossible. Your passion for tennis is something I will take with me to college. Victor, watching you give your best as a coach whether you are on the court with the red ball kids, the 6th graders, or the best boys is something that I am sure not only inspires me but so many others. I would like to thank you for not only speaking and teaching the importance of building the correct values of humility, respect, honesty, discipline and hard work but for also demonstrating those values with how you approach your own life. Lazaro, I have always admired how hard you work. You are here early in the morning stringing racquets and then you are on the court all day giving lessons. I will miss you when I am in college but maybe I can still hear your loud voice from Boston.
Alberto and Imanol, you guys were never officially my tutor, but you always took so much responsibility in helping me. Especially thank you Alberto for taking me to the Casino for my 18th birthday. (We made $11 that night). Flavia thank you for being a good role model for us. I am glad we got to share many moments together and I hope there are more to come. Eva, what will I do without you? Thank you for being someone I can trust and for always helping me when I am overwhelmed. Without you, I think many of us would go crazy and you are always there to calm us down. Pavel, thank you for your continued help throughout my time here. For making tennis fun and for helping me love to be at the net. Derek and Kennedy, being in a place like that gym brings me so many terrible memories, but through all the academy laps and burpees I became such a better athlete. Because of all the work we in the gym, I honestly feel so much more prepared for college next year.
Thank you, Emilio, for everything you have done for my family and I, without your help I would have never been able to live these past few years in the same way. This year I had the chance for you to work with me as my tutor, and I think I started to understand so much more about how I need to play on the court. Simona, thank you for always being supportive of me and for also building all of these kids from all over the world into the friendships we have today.
Dad: I know that mom always steals the spotlight from you but thank you for always supporting me no matter what I do. I know it is hard for you to stay in Hawaii and keep everything from falling apart without any help. You have always been so understanding and supportive of anything that I have ever done. Even if you did not agree, you let me learn from my mistakes and offered advice. You taught me how to stay calm and never to let anger get the best of me.
Mom: A lot of people say that I am a hard worker, but when they say that, I hope you know it is really a complement for you. You always taught me that children are a reflection of their parents. And it is true, all the values I have learned are from watching how you treat your life. You never had to tell me to work hard, or to be respectful, or to be committed, you showed me this every day. Whether it was the fact that you worked 3 different jobs to afford the costs of my tennis and education, or when you gave every one of your students our home phone number so they could call you for math help anytime they needed it. In 7th grade, when I was applying to Midpac, I had to write an essay on my hero. I was too embarrassed to tell you then, but I wrote about you. As I go on to college, I hope I can be a decent reflection of the person you are, because your hard work, respect and commitment are three values that I wish someday to possess in the way that you do.
I would also like to thank some of my friends who have made my years here unforgettable and irreplaceable. Cacho, Clara, Adele, Victoria, Dagmar, Pitu, Aleksa, Kitty, Sophia, and Giulia. Who would have thought it would end like this? These past few years have been filled with memories but if you would have asked me 2 and a half years ago when I was sitting at Orange Bowl, shy and quiet, I would have never thought we would end up with the relationships we have, all sitting here to celebrate our graduation together. My favorite memories could be the time we hid a hippo in Dagmar’s backpack, the time Julian Dassler hid in AP US GOV class, watching Pitu dance to wrecking ball, or getting Chick fil A with Clara Adele and Cacho. The friendships we have made are honestly one of the best parts about my time here and I know that these friendships will last a lifetime.
Now that I have thanked everyone, I would like to congratulate all the seniors. Paul, Zach, Matt, Jack, Alex, Julian, Vicente, Fernando, Cacho, Clara, Dagmar and Victoria. Let’s take a moment to remember the beginning of the year. We were all standing in this same room, our legs aching from standing so long. Even Pavel was leaning on Eva for support. No one knew where we would be going to college (except for Dagmar) and many of us were strangers. Fast forward to now and I am sure we can all picture dozens of lifelong memories ASC has helped us collect. So, congratulations on a great year full of adversity and accomplishments. In many graduation speeches, they usually say “We made it” which is true- we did make it. However, what is special about our class from ES International School and ASC is that we did not just make it, but I am sure that we will continue to “make it” and do “great things” whether it be on or off the court due to all the experiences that we have had these years. Today is a sad and emotional day because many of us are saying goodbye. But what makes ASC special is that when we leave, we always find a way back. ASC has become a second home for many of us. So, congratulations and let’s celebrate this big accomplishment!” – Casey Cummings
By Eva Pascual, Marketing department, Sánchez-Casal Academy.
Some of our student-athletes who graduated last year, from the Class of 2018, have returned home this summer for vacations, after their first year of college. For them it has been an intense year, full of emotions, work and tennis. They want to share their experiences with us, by visiting and playing tennis again on the courts that have seen them grow and develop.
Aina March and Clara Bascuñana are two of these alumni who have returned home for vacations and who have come to train and catch up with us again.
Aina, after playing tennis at the Academy since she was a child and joining the tennis + school program in her last two years, has just finished her first year at Fairfield University, Connecticut, USA, where she is studying Engineering. For her, the time she spent at the Academy has permitted her to adapt quickly to university, with its intense combination of tennis and studies, and its demands for work hard in both fields.
Clara was in Sanchez-Casal for two years, and after her graduation she joined Maryville University, St. Louis, Missouri, where she is studying Business Administration. She highlighted how easy it has been for her to integrate within her university environment, thanks to her experience at the Academy, where she got to know students from all over the world.
Both Clara and Aina talked to us about work, effort, and tolerance, and they make us proud to have participated in their development, not only as tennis players and students, but also as people.
Eva Pascual Marketing department, Sánchez-Casal Academy
