STURGIS — George Ebert is ready to be taking the next step in his life.
It won’t happen, officially, until he graduates in the spring from Sturgis High School. But as graduation continues to move closer, Ebert’s excitement will continue to grow as well. Beginning next school year, Ebert will advance to the college level where his academic and tennis careers will be extended.
Ebert has signed on to continue both at the University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne, Ind. The new lifestyle, which will certainly come with expectations, will be an adjustment for the Sturgis senior. But he’s ready and willing to get it going.
“It’s going to be a whole different lifestyle for me. I’ll be on my own but it will be a part of my life that eventually helps me out in the long run,” Ebert said. “So I’m looking forward to that.”
Ebert made the decision to continue at Saint Francis back in August. Cougar tennis coach Kristen Harrow made an appearance, as did Trojan head coach George Earl. Each spoke highly on Ebert’s character and believe he will be a tremendous asset for the Cougars.
“I’m looking forward to having him on the roster, he’s a great kid, a smart kid,” Harrow said. “I think he fits in really well for us. But it’s a different game coming from high school to college, but we think he will fit in the lineup and help improve the team.”
Harrow said at the college level — Saint Francis is NAIA — there are six singles and three doubles flights. Most of the time, players are competing in both doubles and singles at that level.
Earl said that will be no issues for Ebert. The Sturgis senior was named First Team All-State by the Michigan High School Tennis Coaches Association for this season and also won a Wolverine Conference title at first singles.
“He has all the tools, a great mental and tactical game,” Earl said. “The program, and myself, are obviously very excited to see what he can do.”
Ebert is used to pressure at this point. He’s the son to Art, Sturgis Superintendent, and a key member in the Trojan marching band as well.
Having a strong mental game plays a big role in his life both on and off the tennis court.
“I love tennis, it’s such a mental sport and it plays such a big role in your life. If you’re good mentally at tennis, it helps you mentally in life, I think,” he said. “It’s a battle out there on the court and if you can survive that, it helps you in life.”
Ebert said he plans to study marketing at the next level. His senior year consists of tough classes as well and he’s aiming to raise his 3.97 GPA over the 4.0 mark with AP classes as well. Oh yeah, he also ran cross country this past fall in addition to playing tennis.
In the marching band, the clarinet if Ebert’s instrument of choice.
“My mom is a really good clarinet player and when I was a kid I was a little momma’s boy, so I had to do that,” he said with a laugh. “I’ve carried it with me ever since sixth grade. I love being in the marching band. It’s sometimes tiring, but the cool thing is it everyone puts their best into it, it’s a really cool experience.”
Clearly, Ebert has excellent time management skills. While it’s a lot on him now, it will be even more prevalent at the next level. Ebert, though, said that won’t be a problerm for him.
“It’s your time and you can’t waste your time. You need to set your priorities right,” he said. “I’ve made mistakes but at the end of the day, if you set your time right and don’t waste it, no matter how much you have to figure out, you can do it.”
Contact Sports Editor Brandon Watson at bwatson@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @BwatsonSJ.
This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Ebert to pursue marketing career while at Saint Francis, play tennis
