Playing in a new home

Foreign athletes find their way to CU

In some ways, CU is a cultural melting pot.

It’s hard to walk around campus and not hear a different language or talk to someone with a foreign accent. On campus, especially in the sports arena, foreign students are making their presence known at CU.

On the women’s tennis team alone, half of the ten players are from foreign countries. With so many foreign recruits representing a single sport, it may make one wonder why such a majority of one team is foreign and how the recruitment process works.

Head coach Nicole Kenneally said the process remains similar to recruitment of American athletes. Coaches still examine the player’s overall performance just like American recruits and base their decisions on the player’s ability to be a strong asset to the team.

The only difference is that not all of the coaches get to see the foreign recruits in person before they sign them. Kenneally said that she usually receives DVDs or tapes of foreign recruits, thereby allowing her to determine if they would be a good fit for the team.

Though DVDs and tapes are a common way for foreign recruits to display their talents, there are other venues that athletes and coaches will go through during the recruitment process.

One way is through College Prospects of America. According to their Web site, CPOA’s main mission is to help athletes from all regions of the world to get recruited. This organization not only aids athletes with the recruitment process, but allows coaches to establish international contacts. They give international players the opportunity to get noticed in the U.S.

In addition to CPOA, Coach KenneallyCQ said that YouTube is now becoming a common way for coaches to see the player’s performance level from an international field.

“International players will send (coaches) a link on youtube.com,” Kenneally said.

This allows coaches to see the players perform without ever watching them in person. This new, innovative way for players to put themselves out their advances the international recruitment process, making it easier for both coaches and players alike.

The recruitment process was basic for senior Veera Nurmi, who is from Lahti, Finland.

“I heard that it was a good tennis team, and I already had some connections,” Nurmi said.

Nurmi also said that having so many international players on the tennis team adds a positive dynamic.

“I really like it,” Nurmi said. “We have people from different nationalities . that always brings fun stories and different memories.”

Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Rachael Fischer at

[email protected]