Commitment Announcement
Seelig Makes Early Commitment to Ohio State
by Blair Henley, 5 June 2014
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Kyle Seelig wasn't interested in a long, drawn out recruiting process. Anxious to see his hard work pay off, the Blue Chip recruit visited six top programs before the end of his junior year in high school. In other words, he approached his recruiting experience with the same aggressive mindset he uses on the court. The Pennsylvania native is known for stepping up and taking balls on the rise, a strategy he developed from the time he convinced his parents to let him play tennis at age 5.
"When I was a kid, I was really tiny," said Seelig, who now stands 5-foot-9. "I was always the shortest one, and everyone would just lob the ball over my head. I learned to either take the ball out of the air or take it on the rise. It translates in how I play today: whenever I see a high ball, I move forward."
Following his fast and furious recruiting process, Seelig committed to join the Ohio State Buckeyes in the fall of 2015. After visiting programs like Michigan, Texas and Texas A&M, Seelig knew he found the right fit when he met Ohio State Head Coach Ty Tucker and the team.
"I really connected with [Coach Tucker]," said Seelig. "Coach Tucker has proved that he is a great coach who brings the best out of all his players. He has shown many times that he can bring his players up to a new level."
The team also made a lasting first impression.
"As soon as I got there, they stopped practice and came over to shake my hand," he said. "They were one of the most outgoing teams that I met. They included me in everything. There were some other schools where the teams were a little excluding."
That cohesive atmosphere was a key factor for Seelig. He won a state singles title for the Plumstead Christian School tennis team during his freshman year, and the experience remains one of his favorite memories. Seelig even finds time to play with the Plumstead baseball squad when he's not on the court.
"I really like being on a team," he said, admitting that tennis can be a lonely sport. "I've always liked being with other people. If something happens, it's not always my fault. If we have a great win, we did it as a group."
Seelig will likely have plenty of opportunities to experience team glory when he reaches the Ohio State campus. Ranked No. 3 in the country at the end of the 2014 regular season, the team broke the NCAA Division I record for consecutive home victories this year when they won their 185th match on home turf. Seelig feels his training with current coach Jon Glover at the Legacy Youth Tennis and Education Center has prepared him for the expectations of representing a perennial college tennis power.
