Dwight Global Online School, the official education partner of the ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors, has launched its new webinar series for junior players, outlining the benefits of online schooling while competing on Tour.

In the first webinar in the series, Alicia Morris, Director of Admissions at Dwight Global Online School, spoke with Dwight Global alumnus, Harvard freshman, and NCAA All-American Cooper Williams.  Dr. Blake Spahn, Vice-Chancellor of the Dwight Schools, and Megan Miller, Dwight Global’s Director of College Counseling, also joined the conversation.

Williams is a familiar face to members of the ITF Juniors community.  Williams’s achievements include a career high ITF rank of #3, 2023 Australian Open Juniors Singles Quarterfinalist and Doubles Champion, 2023 Singles and Doubles Roland Garros Juniors Quarterfinalist, 2023 Wimbledon Juniors Singles Semi-Finalist and Doubles Quarterfinalist, and 2023 Singles Quarterfinalist US Open Juniors. Additionally, in his first year at #12 Nationally Ranked Harvard Men’s Tennis, Williams was ranked as high as #9 in Singles and #5 in Doubles, ending as an automatic All-American and reaching the Quarterfinals of the 2024 NCAA All-American Championship.  Cooper was honored as the 2024 ITA National Rookie of the Year and named to the 2024 USTA National Collegiate Team, which provides a grant and support during the summer pro circuit.  Williams now attends Duke University, where he will play for the Blue Devils for the 2024-25 season.

Scheduling Flexibility

Williams attributes his success as a Harvard College freshman and member of the Harvard tennis team in part to skills he learned at Dwight Global, where he graduated in 2023.

“At Dwight Global, I had the flexibility to advance in both academics and tennis. I learned time management skills that allowed me to succeed at the high school level, and that skill became my most valuable attribute during my first year at Harvard,” said Williams.

Williams arrived at Dwight Global in eighth grade after missing many days of classes at his private all-boys New York City school the year before. Williams was a top student there, but his demanding tennis travel didn’t mesh with the more rigid schedule of a brick and mortar school.

After he switched to Dwight Global, “I finally had the academic scheduling flexibility to get up early for tennis practice, then take my online classes, eat lunch, practice again, and have classes or faculty office hours in the evening. Having that flexibility changed my tennis game.”

Williams also said Dwight Global teachers and school leaders provided unwavering support and constant communication. “I also had the most wonderful Dwight Global college counselor who helped me through the college process. The whole system allowed me to thrive.”

ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors Partnership

As an official ITF World Tennis Tour Juniors partner, Dwight Global is a premier private online school that is part of the Dwight Network of Schools. Vice Chancellor Blake Spahn, a Dwight alumnus, received his BA and MBA degrees from Columbia University, where he was Captain of their undefeated Men’s Tennis Ivy League championship team. Dr. Spahn has masters and doctoral degrees in Comparative International Education from Oxford, and is the proud father of an ITF tennis player currently attending Dwight Global. 

The first school in the Americas to offer the comprehensive International Baccalaureate curriculum from Preschool through grade 12, Dwight has physical campuses in New York, London, Seoul, Shanghai, Dubai, and Hanoi, as well as Dwight Global, the “campus in the cloud” and one of the first schools in the world to be accredited by the World Academy of Sport. The entire Dwight Network of Schools is committed to igniting the spark of genius in every child. 

“We are dedicated to cultivating the interests and passions of scholar-athletes and educating the sports leaders of tomorrow,” said Dwight Global Head of School Louisa Childs. “We offer top-notch academics tailored to meet the needs of aspiring tennis stars, and to inspire the next generation on the ITF World Tour.”

Dwight Global provides all ITFJ players with a 50% tuition discount, as well as webinars about college planning, mental health, and leadership. Dedicated college counselors skilled in athletic recruitment work with each player to gain acceptance into their top-choice universities.

Additionally, ITFJ players who are enrolled at Dwight Global have unique opportunities to study at any brick-and-mortar school in Dwight’s global network, enjoy Dwight residential experiences, participate in performing arts collaborations, and go on trips and exchanges with Dwight students worldwide.

Specialized College Counseling

Miller said Dwight Global’s global recognition and personalized approach has helped passionate learners and tennis players find their way to D1, D2, and D3 college tennis teams nationwide. Those students have been the recipients of millions of dollars in athletic scholarships. 

Dwight Global’s personalized approach extends to College Counseling, and Miller said the entire school stands behind the mission of personalized learning and support of a student’s passions. “We have a solid foundational knowledge base, and we offer course guidance and meet families individually. There are many students with different sparks, and the college counseling team is knowledgeable about the path that athletes are following,” she said.

“In 9th and 10th grade, students receive course advice and a timeline for personalizing goals and investing in a long-term plan,” continued Miller. “By 11th grade, each student is assigned a specific Dwight Global college counselor, and those counselors are even available post-graduation too, if need be,” Miller said.  

The college counseling team is equipped to help international students, who have special considerations. For example, school transcripts written in languages other than English need to be translated before submitting them to colleges. Dwight Global’s college counselors invest in these and other general investigations, as well as what programs a student will be considering after high school graduation. 

Dr. Spahn said Dwight Global does a phenomenal job preparing students for college because the high school schedule looks and feels like a college schedule.  

“A student might have two chemistry classes a week for 50 minutes each, and all work might be due midnight on Sunday,” said Dr. Spahn. “Students learn they can’t wait until the end of the week to do it all. They learn how to schedule their time. At the end of the day, what is most important for us as a school is to ignite the spark of genius in every child. It makes everything better, no matter what a student’s ultimate personal achievement is–when you enjoy something and pursue it, everything gets better.”

“One key attribute of our students is excellence in executive functioning and management,” said Spahn. “Having time management skills leads to success not just in college but in any job after graduation.”

Strong Community and Social Connection 

Because Dwight Global is online, and classmates are often not nearby, the school builds in opportunities for strong social connection. “We have a travel tennis team,” said Dr. Spahn. “The students travel to tournaments, study together, train together, and eat together. Tennis is an individual sport and can often be lonely, and this team has been a huge success. Our travel team replicates a college tennis team. It has been a great social experience for all.”

What would Williams say is the best advice for aspiring scholar-athletes? 

“High school is very focused, but there is consistency. Once you get into college, the success doesn’t stop there. Everyone I know from Dwight Global is thriving. Be very clear with yourself about what you are passionate about in and out of school, and create an environment where you can succeed.”

To see the webinar in full, contact admissions@dwight.global.