All-American dream starts at Boise State

ON THE UP: Kyle Butters is off to Idaho to play American college tennis.PHOTO/SUPPLIED

WANGANUI tennis star Kyle Butters' American dream has begun.

Butters flies to Idaho in the United States this week to start his four-year, all expenses paid tennis scholarship with Boise State University.

Butters, who has won national titles in every age group and previously held a junior world ranking of 154, attracted the attention of many of the division one universities.

But it was having highly respected coach Greg Patton at the helm that enticed Butters to sign with Boise. Patton coached Pete Sampras, Jim Courier, and Michael Chang at the junior level, and has helped put Boise on the college tennis map.

Butters isn't the first Kiwi Patton has recruited. He follows fellow New Zealander James Meredith, who joined Boise in 2009 where he had a successful college career, being ranked as high as 20th in singles, and leading the team to several conference titles.

"I have found the Kiwi players have a strong foundation in the game," Patton said. "There is a cultural mindset that is fun and delightful to coach. They tend to embrace the team aspect of college tennis more than other international players."

Boise has a population of 216,000 and a vibrant Kiwi community and Butters was eager to get into a good training environment, where everyone wanted to succeed. His coach, Clint Packer, said Butters had what it took to succeed in college tennis.

"Kyle is a big lad, hugely strong, incredibly brave and mentally tougher than any kid I have seen in New Zealand," he said. "If he wants to be an 'All-American' college player he will be. If he wants to be doing what our current crop of men are achieving at pro level, he will. It's up to Kyle."

Butters' father Dave heaped praise on Packer, who had trained his son since he was 12. "For a kid who travelled to Wellington on a bus each week for four years to train, he has come a long way."