“I would gladly recommend Smith Stearns to anyone in the world.”

Eileen Gilchrist
Mother of Nadja Gilchrist, Sophomore at UGA

“My daughter Nadja has been at Smith Stearns for four years. She’s a senior now and is going to the University of Georgia on a tennis scholarship next year. I’m kind of sad that she’s leaving Smith Stearns. I would gladly recommend it to anyone in the world – especially to a parent whose child is studying away from home.”

“The Academy and housing are set up for good security. We looked at other academies with dorm-type situations, where kids could sneak out. But with her Smith Stearns house parents, she gets home-cooked meals and a family atmosphere. And we have their cell phone numbers so we’re able to reach them 24/7.”

“The thing about the coaches there, and Billy especially, is that he’s not just a coach to her. He cares about her training. He’s a caring person. She’s well-prepared when she goes to tournaments.”

“Our children are extremely happy and smile all day long!”

Gail O’Koniewski
Mother of Molly, age 16 and Jack, age 13

“Our kids had trained in Florida fall semester the year before coming to Smith Stearns. It was not quite as personalized there, and they had to do online schooling. But at Smith Stearns, our kids enjoy being in the classroom and being able to train four to five hours a day.”

“We like that they train on clay, not hard courts. That’s better for their bodies. An added benefit is, we like the kids they’re training with, too. It’s a wonderful group of kids to be around.”

“Fortunately, we were able to move to Hilton Head Island, so our family is always together. Both children are extremely happy and smile all day long.”

“Emily is now a much more mature, more confident player, even beyond her years.”

Barb Stein,
Mother of Emily, age 17

“This will be Emily’s third full year at Smith Stearns. She started when she was just 13. She’s been living away from home almost three years now. She really wanted to pursue her tennis. She was playing at the national level at age 12.”

“It was difficult for us to follow up with her tennis here in Pennsylvania, where we live. It’s hard getting court time and it’s too cold to play much of the year. We had vacationed at Sea Pines many times, and Emily had played at the Academy when we were there. Obviously, it was a big step for her to go there full-time, but we had a lot of confidence in the program. She tried it and it’s worked out. She loves it. It’s home away from home.”

“Emily is now a much more mature, more confident player, even beyond her years. Her maturity and confidence level have gone up exponentially. She’s very grown-up on and off the court. That’s a tribute to Smith Stearns. They’ve given her a lot of confidence, a lot of love, a lot of caring. They treat her like one of their own. She feels like part of the family.”