This year was Raverta's finest. She played first singles and second doubles for three years, but she played both first singles and first doubles this year. Raverta was seeded fourth in both categories in the national tournament. On the highest Div. III stage, Raverta made a spectacular run for the singles title, claiming second place. To top it all off, Raverta was named Wilson/Intercollegiate Tennis Association National Senior Player of the Year. However, her six-foot frame has had to support more than just the trophies she has accumulated; inside that body is an enormous heart, which has carried Raverta and her teammates to unbelievable success.
An early and promising start
Raverta began her tennis career when she was just five years old. "My dad played tennis and I used to see him hitting around," said Raverta. "I decided I wanted to try it, so I started playing in the summers."
Like most five year olds, the West Springfield, Mass. native was not particularly serious about tennis at first, but by the time she was 10 her passion for the sport began to grow. She joined the Junior Tennis Association, which is the junior league of the United States Tennis Association. She was consistently in the top 10 in New England and in the top 100 in the nation, ranking as high as 36th in the country as a 16-year old. Raverta also won the Massachusetts state high school championships.
All of Raverta's accomplishments made her a very enticing prospect for college coaches across the country. "I was looking at Div. I schools, including athletic scholarships," Raverta said. "But I was looking for a balance in life. I wanted a balance between good academics and athletics; a place where I could do both."
Enter Amherst. To the surprise and dismay of many Div. I women's tennis coaches, Raverta chose the small Div. III college just a short drive from her house. From there, she flourished.
Amherst: the perfect balance
Since Raverta was looking for balance, it only makes sense that she has a passion for academics. Specifically, she fell in love with psychology. "As a [first-year] I found that the courses I was continuously picking were in the psychology department," said Raverta. "It was a natural transition to be a psychology major."
Her favorite course was Close Relationships, taught by Professor of Psychology Catherine Sanderson. This preference is not exactly Freudian: It is obvious that Raverta cherishes the close relationships she has formed with her professors, in addition to the relationships she has with her family, teammates, coaches and friends. "The professors are awesome," she said. "They are dynamic lecturers and teachers, and nice people both inside and outside of class."
One professor she has gotten to know well is Associate Professor of Psychology Allen Hart. Hart has been Raverta's academic advisor for three years, and got to know Raverta and her family during that time. In the summer before Raverta's sophomore year, Hart's daughter turned nine. Raverta was the "host" of the younger Hart's party. She spent the day playing tennis with 12 little girls, most of whom had never played the sport before. "Not only did Kristen encourage my daughter to become a tennis player, she also got my daughter a birthday present," said Hart.
In Raverta's time at Amherst, she mastered the balance between academics and athletics. "She has blossomed both athletically and academically and has a tremendous relationship between the two," Hart said. "She embodies excellence in both, and proves that there is no inherent tension in these areas at all."
A leader on the court
In recent years, Amherst's women's tennis team has consistently been one of the best teams in the country, and Raverta certainly played a big part in that success. "Everyone on our team admires her talent as a tennis player, and they see how hard she works," said teammate Katie Hudson '07. "She inspires us just by being so good."
Her knack for winning has impressed her teammates and coaches. "Kristen does a good job of utilizing her reach and size," said Head Coach Jackie Bagwell. "Kristen is an attacking player and moves the ball around extremely well."
"Also, tennis is much more than just physical [ability]," added teammate Laura Stein '08. "Kristen is so mentally tough to be able to be such a successful player in the top positions on the team."
But success at the top is not Raverta's first priority. "Kristen really isn't about the individual titles at all," said Hudson. "She had a long junior career of a lot of individual titles, and I think when she came to Amherst she realized how much fun playing tennis on a team could be."
It was Raverta's desire for team success that propelled the Jeffs to at least the Elite Eight of the Div. III NCAA Tournament for fours years in a row; they were in the Final Four three of those years and finished as high as second. "Having individual goals, whether it be improving a forehand return or making it to the finals of the NCAA singles competition, does not, as some might believe, conflict with the team goals," said Raverta's teammate Caitlin Rhodes '07. "Every single player on this team prioritizes the team's success over all else. Kristen sets the standard."
Raverta also sets the tone of practices. "Practices are relatively intense, but at the same time I do have a lot of fun," said Raverta, a co-captain. "There is always time for us to joke around, especially me. I realized how important it is to have fun and I try to bring that to the court."
There are several ways that Raverta maintains a lighthearted atmosphere. "She's never afraid to be herself and goes out of her way to make other people laugh," said Stein. "She's always got a playlist ready on her iPod, usually full of her 'gangsta rap,' and most of the time when it's not playing, she's singing. She's got the best bright orange tennis outfits."
"Also, when we do our daily running warm-up, Kristen always has interesting 'moves' as she skips across the court-they are quite entertaining," added Hudson.
Raverta's effort at loosening up her teammates translates into enthusiasm for them when they are on the court. Her attitude makes her a "fabulous teammate," according to Hudson. "[She] gets just as excited-or even more-for other people's wins as for her own, which is really cool," Hudson said. "She adds a lot to our team just because she is such an individual."
Her unique outlook vastly helps the team, but it also may be the key to her personal achievements. "I think her attitude really helps her success: When she's out there having fun, she looks amazing," observed Hudson.
Bagwell also appreciates Raverta's attitude. "She helps keep practice intense and fun at the same time," said Bagwell. "She loves to bring music to practice and she usually keeps up a trash-talking banter with me during practices. Her signature grunt when she hits the ball gets louder and louder when comic release is needed in practice. During matches her intensity helps set the tone for the team."
The legacy lives on
Raverta's heart has been the pulse of Amherst tennis for four years, but she has had a strong personal support system as well. Her parents and grandfather, Roy, have been very supportive throughout her spectacular tennis career. "My dad's traveled to every match of my tennis career except one match in junior tennis," said Raverta. "My parents have been there 100 percent. Everything I ever asked for that was tennis-related-extra lessons, clothes, shoes, driving 30 minutes each way to lessons every day-they always did it without complaint."
Additionally, Amherst has provided Raverta with necessary life skills. "Amherst has been a wonderful experience-I couldn't ask for more from a college," she said. "When I look back and see myself as a [first-year], I see the way that I've matured and grown up. Amherst has allowed me to mature and grow up."
Raverta will continue to grow at Amherst. Next year she will be back as a Green Dean with the Student Life Fellowship. And of course, Amherst tennis won't be too far away; Raverta will continue her legacy as the assistant coach during the 2006-07 season.