Greetings Her Campus readers! This week I had the pleasure of interviewing a well-known athlete on campus. Our “athlete of the week” is Davy Van Geerke. Davy is a junior political science major from Amsterdam the Netherlands. In his free time, Davy likes to go to the gym, watch TV on Netflix, and play video games. He is a star on the tennis court, playing number 1 singles and doubles all of last season. Read more to find out what makes Davy a special athlete and person!
Sierra Hi davy!! Thanks for doing this interview. Ok so to start out, How did you get into playing tennis? And how long have you been playing?
Davy : *smiles* “I got into tennis because my Dad was a tennis coach and I grew up surrounded by the sport. I have been playing tennis since I was four years old, and my dad introduced me to the game.”
Sierra: What other sports did you play growing up, if any?
Davy: “Growing up I played soccer, a little bit of basketball, and I swam. Soccer was the main one cause in Europe its a very big deal. If you didn’t play soccer you were kinda seen as a weird kid. *laughs*. But I was most drawn to tennis and started to develop a passion for it when I was 10 years old. The other sports were more for fun to play with my friends, but tennis is what I was most passionate about. I wanted to dedicate the majority of my time to tennis.”
Sierra: What makes Davy, Davy?
Davy “hmmm I gotta think about that one. Personality-wise I am pretty black and white. I am very direct and straight to the point. I don’t have a gray area. I am slightly impatient sometimes *smiles*. I am also pretty laid back in everything, except for when it comes to tennis. In tennis, I kinda become obsessive and a perfectionist. I don’t stress about a lot, except for tennis.”
Sierra: What was it like adjusting to Hampton, especially being from out of the country?
Davy: “This could be a whole article lol. *we both laugh*. When I first came to Hampton I hated it here, for a lot of reasons. I was forced to arrive late because Hampton messed up my visa. The coach who recruited then quit the program, the day after I arrived. This all happened and it was my first time coming to the states. EVER. Also when I arrived it was very cold, and I was not used to that, and the Hampton run around was annoying. I also found my way of direct speaking would offend people, and I had to take time to adjust to that. But, as time went on I started meeting new people and making new connections and getting the real Hampton experience. I became involved and I am now in SLP, president of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and also a member of men’s caucus. After my first year I was good, I would say it took me about a year to adjust.”
Sierra: What is your daily routine as a student like?
Davy: “So in the fall my daily routine is pretty relaxed. I have one practice in the morning around 6 am. And then maybe I will have a light captain’s practice in the afternoon. I take my easy classes in the spring and my harder classes in the fall. In the spring I wake up at 5:15 Am and practice at 6, and finish around 8:30, then I will eat and go to class. Then during 12-2, I will go to the gym with my teammates, after that there is another afternoon practice. Later I will try to take a nap, and then get to my homework and then go to sleep. If we have a weekend off I will go out, but if we have games then my everyday kinda looks like that.”
Sierra: What is your goal in tennis this season?
Davy: “My goal in tennis this season is to win the conference title with my team.”
Sierra: What is your social life like when playing tennis?
Davy: “The majority of my friends are athletes because I spend most of my time with them. I go out with them or go over their house. Sometimes, I will go to the SLP functions and men’s caucus as well. During season though, this usually stops unless I have a weekend off.”
Sierra: Who is your favorite male tennis player?
Davy: “My favorite male tennis player is Roger Federer. I have a similar playing style to him, which is why I enjoy watching him play.”
Sierra: So, Davy the people wanna know! You seem like an eligible bachelor, spill the tea!
Davy: *laughs*. “Right now I am talking to someone, and I’m just gonna leave it at that…”
We love a little mystery! Follow Davy on Instagram @dayv9 to keep up with Davy and his student-athlete life and adventures!