BUFFALO, NY - Over the past few years tennis has become more widespread. With competition at the collegiate level becoming more and more fierce, coaches have found that international players have become their secret weapon. Many challenges arise because of cultural and social differences, but their impact overall has been a solid one.

"(International students) provide a unique opportunity to create bonds," said men's tennis coach Russ Crispell. Crispell believes in the importance of teamwork and togetherness. Because tennis is an individually played sport, there are challenges that come up when trying to get the team to come together. "I try to make practice fun and create a family-type of atmosphere for my players," he said.

In recent years, there has been an incline in the number of international student-athletes at the collegiate level as a whole, including at the University at Buffalo. According to UB's compliance department last year, the University at Buffalo had about 25 incoming international student-athletes. However, this year Buffalo received about 40 international student-athletes.

So how do these players find out about universities like Buffalo? With the internet being such a powerful tool in today's society, many players use search engines to find schools in the U.S. and e-mail coaches about their athletic ability. Because it isn't as convenient for coaches to travel overseas to recruit players, the internet as well as word of mouth have proved to be most advantageous for college athletic programs. Another advantage the internet provides is that coaches and perspective players can correspond interchangeably because contact through the internet isn't a violation of NCAA rules. This is important because coaches can build deeper relationships with the athletes they are trying to recruit.

After they are recruited, there is a lengthy process that athletes and coaches go through in order for them to play. The compliance office is very important in this process because they have to verify that the students didn't receive prize money before their initial recruitment. In the NCAA rulebook, in order for a student to play for a college or university they cannot have gotten prize money as a reward. If the amount of money a player has won turns out to be more than the cost of the tournament and other expenses, the player is then considered a professional and not an amateur player and therefore can't play at the college level.

These regulations can pose problems for some international student-athletes because in some countries they have "club sports" instead of high school teams. These clubs participate in tournaments and in some cases receive cash prizes for their efforts. Despite some minor technicalities, for the most part it isn't too difficult getting international students over to the U.S. to play sports. "The admissions process is different and the NCAA eligibility process is different," said UB's Compliance Coordinator Kelly Cruttenden. "Students have to provide more financial information just to get in, however it hasn't been that much trouble with getting them over here."

Miglena Nenova

Most of these players have lived "sport lives," meaning that their main focus after academics revolves around sports. Because of this, they are more marketable to colleges and universities. Miglena Nenova (Rousse, Bulgaria/Eurointellect), a freshman tennis player from Bulgaria, has been involved with the sport since she was seven years old, making her a more developed and disciplined athlete. Some players on the men's team came to UB from the Hilton Head Prep School in South Carolina. "It's an academy that allows these kids to have a consolidated academic learning program, which allows them to get in four hours of tennis training a day," said Crispell. "It is a very disciplined school, which is another reason why you see them with such high success."

How easy is it for students to adapt once they're over in the U.S? Most of the time it's a culture shock. Most international students haven't had much contact with the western way of living, so once they make the big move they have a lot to get used to. "I give them 'big sisters' and meet with them once a week and when they come here I try to introduce them to as many people as I can, so they can widen their base of acquaintances," said women's tennis head coach Kathy Twist.

The majority of international students like the academic and cultural experience that they've received here thus far.

Ivan Chamdani

Despite the differences from their native countries, they have learned a great deal. "I like the concept of an 'open mind' in Americans," said Ivan Chamdani (Jakarta, Indonesia/ESI International Academy), a men's tennis player from Indonesia. "Almost anything can be developed here because Americans are quite tolerant in accepting new cultures. Overall I like the quality of education I receive."

In the recent years there has been talk about reducing the number of international students that are admitted into colleges and universities. Some advocates of this say American children aren't given the chance to get scholarships and the recognition that international students receive. Unfortunately in the U.S. for sports like tennis, the cost to play on a regular basis is very expensive for most student-athletes and their families. The cost of a private lesson can start at $60 an hour not even adding in the expenses and tournament costs. Because of the high price tag, American students don't have the opportunity to practice as much as those students overseas where they have regimented athletic schedules. American tennis players are still given the same opportunities that international students receive by way of scholarships and leadership opportunities on teams across the United States.

Tennis isn't the only sport that harbors international players. At the University at Buffalo, other Division I sports including soccer, baseball, softball, volleyball, crew, basketball and swimming all have international student-athletes on their rosters representing such countries as Canada, Austria, Morocco, France, South Africa, Israel, Australia, and the Slovak Republic. Not only do these players bring disciplined skills, they also bring diversity and personality to UB. Both American and international players learn about teamwork, respect and understanding other cultures. "Sports transcend boarders, it makes the world smaller and it gives kids an idea that the world goes beyond the court," said Crispell. "Having international students gives a greater view of the world."

- Written by Tiona D. Hill, UB Athletic Communications Intern