'Back Home': Former State Tennis Champ Rachael White Joins Five Seasons Northbrook Tennis Staff That Helped Train Her

In 2001, an up-and-coming 10-year-old tennis player from Deerfield first walked into Five Seasons Family Sports Club in Northbrook.

Determined to sharpen an already-promising game, Rachael White proved to be a most capable student: as a sophomore at Deerfield High School, she won the Illinois High School Association girls’ tennis tournament.

Under the tutelage of tennis instructors Manny Velasco, Suhel Malhotra and Chris Sheldon, White went on to become a Top 10 player nationally at the 18-year-old junior tennis level. She received a tennis scholarship to the University of Illinois and capped a strong career there by becoming an All-American as a senior with the Fighting Illini.

Now, two years after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in sports management, the student has come full circle and become the teacher. In June, she began working part-time and in August she was elevated to full-time on the Five Seasons staff.

Her mission now: teaching the next generation of young tennis players, as well as the club’s ladies’ competitive teams.

In addition to coaching 10-and-under juniors of all skill levels, White will work with high-performance junior boys and girls up to 18 years old, as well as college-age players.

“I am real excited to be back,” said White. “It’s so good to be back around so many people I have known for so long. I just love the family culture at Five Seasons. It’s always felt like home to me.”

Sheldon, the club’s Director of Racquet Sports, is likewise thrilled to be working alongside White.

“Her experiences in competing at a high level are such an asset to the club,” Sheldon noted. “She has a lot of knowledge to share with students and Five Seasons is very excited to have her join our team of tennis professionals.”

Previously, White worked at the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton Fla., where she instructed many of the nation’s top junior tennis players.

White’s instructional career dates back to her own high school days, when she worked part-time training younger players. The coaching bug took root and after wrapping up her competitive playing days, White knew where she wanted to go with her career.

Her coaching philosophy borrows from some of the same coaches she now works with at Five Seasons, which perennially has one of the top junior tennis programs in the area.

“My approach is to go into every interaction with an open mind,” White said. “I know that I wasn’t necessarily the easiest person to work with when I was younger, so that helps me be patient with the kids I coach. Also, the ups and downs I experienced as a player broadened my knowledge and have made me a lot more comfortable and confident as a coach.”

“I am able to relate to top players and to your recreational player,” White added. “What really matters to me is that whoever I am working with is giving 100 percent effort, no matter what their skill level.”

That commitment to putting forth maximum effort was instrumental in White’s own development.

At Deerfield High, in addition to winning the individual single’s title as a sophomore, she helped the girls’ tennis team win the state title her freshman year in 2005, followed by second-place finishes her sophomore and senior years.

Over the course of her college career, among other laurels, she was a first-team All-Big Ten selection, shared team Most Valuable Player honors, and was a Big Ten Sportsmanship Award honoree.

For White, the transition to coaching has been especially gratifying when she sees the positive impact on her students. She pointed to a recent experience with a 10-year-old girl she’s instructing at Five Seasons and who won her first tournament.

“Any time you get that positive feedback is great,” said White. “To know you made a difference with someone and over time to see their progress is very rewarding.”

Five Seasons Family Sports Club is located at 1300 Techny Road in Northbrook and online at http://www.fiveseasonssportsclub.com/northbrook/. Five Seasons is the premier year-round high-energy, high-touch sports club focused on family leisure and entertainment, improving sports performance and maintaining overall health.

To learn more, call 847-897-5030. On Facebook: www.facebook.com/FiveSeasonsNorthbrook. Twitter: www.twitter.com/FiveSeasonsNB.