Commitment Profile
Countdown: Goldberg Set to Plant Cardinal Roots
by Clair Maciel, 22 October 2012
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When the time came for Yale Goldberg to decide on a college tennis program for the 2013 season, he felt a bit of pressure just to keep up with the Joneses. Not only was he anxious to pick a school and decide on his college future, but his fellow recruits were already getting ahead of the game to secure a spot on the best teams. Time was of the essence, and he didn't want to get left out of the running for his top picks.
"For some reason, the 2013 class started really early, and everyone at the top of the class was deciding on schools pretty quickly," he said. "So from a scholarship perspective, I didn't want to wait too long and end up not getting an offer."
With schools in the Ivy League, Northwestern, Stanford, Lehigh and his hometown-favorite Ohio State on his radar, Goldberg wanted to choose a university that was both academically and athletically elite.
It was a tough decision, he said, but in the end, it didn't take long for the sunny skies of Palo Alto, Calif., to tip the scales. In the fall of 2013, Goldberg will begin his collegiate career in the Pac-12 playing for Stanford University's Cardinal tennis team.
As a native of Cleveland, Ohio, Goldberg grew up practicing with the Ohio State tennis coach until he started high school, so his ties to OSU were close. But it was the allure and historied reputation of Stanford - not to mention the chance to escape the often dismal Ohio weather - that drew Goldberg to the West coast.
"The things that attracted me most to Stanford were the combination of the academic reputation and the tennis history there," he said. "During my visit, I spent a lot of time with coach John Whitlinger and some of the freshman guys, and I just felt like it was a good fit for me. The campus is beautiful, and everything about it really stood out in my mind compared to other schools."
As his blue chip rating would attest, Goldberg has made high achievements in his junior career thus far, including doubles titles with partner Ronnie Schneider at both the 2011 USTA Boys' 16s National Championships at Kalamazoo and the 2011 USTA Boys' 16s National Clay Court Championships. It's this kind of doubles prowess he hopes to add to the Cardinal team next year.
"I feel like I have a lot to offer the team because I'm a very passionate player," Goldberg said. "I love the thrill of competing and fighting my way through a match. I've had a lot of success in doubles, and I know I'll be a great team player."
