January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
Tyler, 10, earns scholarship to tennis academy
The 10-year-old impressed coach Bill Adams at last year's ITF Junior Tournamment held in Bermuda.
Elison Smith, Tyler's mom, said that Adams asked the youngster to spend a month at his camp last summer so he could take a better look at her.
"He put her in a tournament and told Tyler he didn't think she would make it out of the first round," Elison. "To all our surprise she won the Girls' Under-10 title."
Adams also saw Tyler play at this year's ITF Junior Tournament in Bermuda.
"He told her in order to reach her goals, she need to come out there," said Elison.
With that, Adams rewarded the promising youngster an eight-year scholarship to his academy.
Elison said Tyler got her start at a young age - Tyler would be in a walker with a tennis racquet and by the age of three she was able to consistently hit a ball.
The youngster has trained locally with Brent Smith and Steve Bean.
Tyler said she's "very excited because this will be more of a challenge."
She said tournaments would be more difficult than the ones in Bermuda, which will give her the opportunity to improve.
She said the strongest part of her game is her forehand because she is consistent with her strokes and can hit the ball hard that way.
"I want to become a professional tennis player," Tyler said.
Elison and her husband John, will be giving up their jobs to follow Tyler to Florida and give her emotional support as she starts on this tennis odyssey.
"With her being a 10-year-old, I don't want to live her out there by herself. It's a big sacrifice - we're giving up our jobs, but we're giving her that opportunity to see how far she can take it."
They won't be able to work and will be using rent from their house to support themselves.[[In-content Ad]]
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