CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – One of UVA Tennis’ newest players was a top recruit in the country, and you may also recognize him from an Amazon Prime documentary.
Stiles Brockett is a Virginia native, but he says that’s not the only reason he chose the Cavaliers.
“I was pretty picky, honestly, of where I wanted to spend the next four years of my life,” Brockett said. “The coaches here reached out, and they were all supportive and believed in me a lot…I think that’s what ultimately made me make this decision.”
Brockett was the number one college recruit in the mid-Atlantic and number eight in the country, according to his UVA biography.
Lots of these junior players head straight to the pros, but not Brockett.
“I think so much more now, guys are going to college and being super successful,” Brockett said. “I think that’s a big thing for my parents, is like the academic part and getting a good education.”
Over the summer, Brockett appeared on “Top Class Tennis,” a documentary that followed four elite junior players across tournaments and practices.
Sports icons, such as Lebron James and Sloane Stephens, were executive producers of the show. That meant a camera crew accompanied Brockett to practices, tournaments, and even his Fairfax home.
“It was all pretty new to me,” Brockett said. “Like, always having a camera on you is a little bit different than a normal tournament would be. But I think they did a great job.”
The documentary has drawn a bit of attention from his teammates.
“I got a little bit of stuff for it when I first got here, but it’s fine,” Brockett said. “I mean, they’re all super supportive, and they all like it too, I hope.”
Brockett was fully online in high school. Now, sometimes he misses classes at UVA to go to tournaments like the Junior U.S. Open.
“I have to do a lot of catch-up on my homework and everything like that, and explain to the teachers why I wasn’t gonna be in class and stuff,” Brockett said.
There are other drawbacks too.
“I miss my dog a lot,” Brockett said.
But, he says, it’s all worth it. Brockett has already racked up a few collegiate wins.
“I think Charlottesville is such a nice town, and there’s so many different things to do,” Brockett said. “You meet so many new people, especially as a first-year, other athletes and stuff like that. So, that’s my favorite part.”
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