Levy Adjusting Well to College Tennis
Dec 18 | Women's Tennis
By Frank Kineavy
ScarletKnights.com
PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Rutgers freshman Lee Levy is preparing for her first spring season in Big Ten tennis by perfecting her forehand and improving the precision of her serve, but adapting to Division 1 college tennis is nothing compared to her journey the past two years.
Levy grew up in Haifa, Israel, where she burst on to the national junior tennis stage with dreams of competing at the college level. However, that dream was put on hold for two years due to Israel's mandatory military service for citizens after their 18th birthday.
Levy enlisted as the main secretary of a naval unit responsible for protecting the Israeli port of the city and the military base. Levy often accompanied combat troops on the ships in order to understand what they do. Her last two months of service brought her into the center of one of the most turbulent months in the long history of the Jewish state.
Levy has been balancing her transition to college and preparing for her freshman season while constantly worrying about her loved ones back home. After completing her fall season, she has more of an understanding of how she can develop. She will draw on her experience from serving in the Navy during close matches.
"When things are difficult I am not stressed. It helps me in practice, in tournaments, in life, and in school," Levy said of her military service. "I was used to a busy schedule with high demands. Thus, when it comes to things that I like to do I am more than willing to give my best and work hard. Being here by myself can be hard, but the (military) prepared me to be on my own."
Levy is using the values she learned while serving to improve her game and prepare for the upcoming spring season. When Levy was growing up, her favorite player was Justine Henin because Henin played a very aggressive game on the court. Levy has modeled her game after her favorite player and has worked on using that aggression to her advantage.
"I've practiced where to hit the ball and where to stand in order to take advantage of my forehand," said Levy.
Women's tennis coach Benjamin Bucca has been impressed with what he has seen so far from Levy.
"Lee has some very strong parts to her game," he said. "Her forehand and serve are high quality shots. My impression is once she truly settles into college life in America those strengths are going to enable her to have many victories competing for Rutgers."
Bucca said an old connection from his playing days enabled him to discover the long-distance recruit.
"I learned about Lee over the internet," he said. "It just so happened that one of her coaches in Israel was someone I knew from my days of playing Junior tennis. We connected and I am very happy to have Lee become part of our team."
Tension in the Middle East had been escalating again just weeks before Levy was scheduled to leave for Rutgers - another cause for concern for a teenager far from home.
"It was very hard to know that my friends were fighting. I had no connection with them because it was too dangerous, they could not say where they were and if they were okay," Levy said. "I was still doing my job in the office, and sometimes I saw a few of them when they got a few days off from fighting. I came to the United States on Aug. 20 (of this year), and the operation finished on the 26th."
As tumultuous as her life was growing up, the first-year tennis standout has an appreciation for what it means to have served her country.
"As a kid, I always saw soldiers in the streets and buses, and then I suddenly became one of them. I felt a big responsibility to represent the military respectfully. To be part of the puzzle that helps this small country to protect itself could not feel better." Levy said.
In the meantime, Levy also looks forward to finding what she wants to do after graduation while at Rutgers and is excited for "four beautiful years as a student-athlete."
Bucca said Levy's personality, work ethic and ability have allowed her to get off to a quick start assimilating to life as a student-athlete.
"Her teammates have a great respect for Lee knowing what she has had to go through prior to her starting at Rutgers," he said. "But Lee has truly earned the respect and friendship of her teammates by being the type person she is. The team has a very strong bond and positive chemistry and Lee has only added to those qualities."
The Rutgers women's spring tennis season will begin with a match against FDU-Florham on Feb. 5, 2015, at Rutgers.
Players Mentioned
