As an agency that helps young athletes travel halfway across the world, join a team with people they have never met, and dive into a schooling system they have never been a part of, is a pretty daunting task that comes with a lot of risk.
However, this risk comes with a monumentous number of rewards, as we get to follow our athletes through their journey of growing as an athlete, succeeding as a student, and ultimately becoming an entirely new person at the end of their 4 years.
This blog dives into the life of Zach Whaanga, a KAA alumni, and successful athlete of Columbus State, looking back on his experience of being a student-athlete.
Reading this will give you such a small snippet into some of Zach’s favourite moments, memories, and experiences as a student-athlete. If you’re interested in having the same opportunity as Zach, get in touch with us for your free consultation!
What was your proudest athletic moment while being on this team?
My proudest athletic moment was winning the NCAA Division 2 National Championship as a team for the first time in Columbus State tennis program history in May 2019. We knew we had the team to win it that year, but we had back-to-back loses against top teams the day after each other in March which obviously was tough for the team. Not only because we won that year, but because of all the hard work that we put to be in that position to win a National Championship was something that I will be proud of. This year I was also named an All American for singles and doubles, finishing number 1 in the country with my partner Alvaro Regalado.
What was your favourite moment from your last semester?
My favorite moment from my last semester of playing was losing in the final of NCAA division 2 nationals. Even though we lost, I was very proud of the team and everything we did over the 4 years as a team to come from being ranked 15 in country to now being constant title contenders.
What is something you wish you could have told yourself as an incoming freshman?
Something I wish I could’ve told myself as an incoming freshman is that to enjoy all the small things with the team and that your 4 years will go by very quickly. When I first got to Columbus State, 4 years sounded like an extremely long time, but those 4 years went by fast. Also for the tennis players, playing in a team is extremely rare so it is important you enjoy the team aspect of tennis as it doesn’t happen too often.
What surprised you about studying in America?
I was surprised most by how encouraging all the teachers were here, in college (High School for Americans) you were always told that your teachers in university will never be that forgiving with helping and other things like that. But as I am sure with New Zealand as well, it was a big surprise how wrong that all was, the teachers here care a lot about their students and will help you as long as you show that you want to learn the material.
What is the biggest difference between being a kiwi student and a US student?
I think the biggest difference between a kiwi student and a US Student is that they all understand the US education system a lot better. They have been doing it since they were 13 and it was a little confusing at first with all the multiple-choice answer tests and things like that, but you get used to it all pretty quick.
What was the best thing about campus?
My favorite thing about the Columbus State campus was 100% the café, I obviously enjoyed the buffet styled café but also just being able to take a break from the day, being able to sit down with friends, and meet new people was something I always really enjoyed doing on campus.
What was the best thing about being a student athlete?
The best thing about being a student athlete is being able to continue your passion and study at the same time. Not many places in the world are you able to do this, while all being on a scholarship. You also get to meet other amazing student athletes in other sports which is also really interesting.
This Could Be You!
While many athletes only dream of having an opportunity like this, this could be your reality! Many athletes just like Zach started as a kid with a passion for their sport, and 4 years later not only have a university degree, but they have friends from all over the world, experienced being treated like a professional athlete, world experience many people their age couldn’t even imagine, and so much more!!
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, don’t let it only be a dream!! Get in contact with us for you 1-hour free consultation, and begin your journey toward becoming a student athlete!
