Women's Tennis at Rollins in the 1940's

As one of the biggest aspects of Winter Park, Rollins College has a vast amount of history pertaining to many different subjects. Specifically, I plan to research the women's tennis program in the 1940's. This was a very prosperous time for the tennis team here at Rollins. Due to its great weather all year round and its reputation for creating champions, the college was a very attractive place for numerous young tennis players. Many famous women such as Shirley Fry, Lillian Lopaus and Connie Clifton were all nationally ranked. The school was an extremely friendly environment especially to students who could not afford the tuition. A significant amount of students were given financial aid in order to play on the team, although were expected to be exceptional in all dimensions. Despite their impressive skills on the court, there were other components which these athletes were forced to focus on. An important part of my paper is discussing the high academic standards held for these tennis players. Doctor Hamilton Holt, the President of the college at the time, was a firm believer in having a strong tennis program, however would not sacrifice the intelligence and work ethic's of recruited students. Due to his particular taste for the accepted students, Rollins College developed a strong, dynamic women's tennis team. I look forward to studying this topic in depth and hope to discover many new things about the school's compelling history.