Laurel Springs alumnus, Alexander Lebedev has a love/love relationship with tennis. Growing up, he’d play with his older sister and knew he wanted to turn professional from the time he was nine. Getting to this level meant many hours of training and travel–two things that didn’t always mesh with scheduling school. That is, until he found Laurel Springs.
A Man of Many Talents
What does philosophy, finance, theater, and politics all have in common? They’re on Alex’s long list of interests. When he’s not playing tennis, he’s reading philosophy, managing finances, discussing politics, and spending time with friends and family. He’s used the recent worldwide shut-down wisely. “Life in quarantine has been uniquely productive—I doubt any of us will ever find ourselves with as much free time as now, so I’ve been trying to make the most of it.”
The concept of free-time is new to Alex. With so many interests and tennis training to keep him busy, he had no reason to be bored. In fact, juggling it all was a struggle before he enrolled in Laurel Springs. “Looking back, joining LSS was such a great decision, as it allowed me to travel much more and not be held back by rigid school schedules. My coach and I set up a schedule where I would be very school-intensive for a few weeks, and then focus completely on tennis, and we achieved a really great balance.”
Even with an intensive school schedule, Alex challenged himself with high-level courses. “My honors and AP classes were quite rigorous and I still have fond memories of learning calculus in junior year! LSS shaped my life very positively, because without it, I would never have traveled as much as I did 11-12th grade. It’s funny now that so many students are taking online classes—back in 2013-2015, it was not nearly as common.”
Life After LSS
While he may not be able to travel as much right now, Alex still dedicates his time to tennis. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Russian and still has his sights set on becoming a professional tennis player. He plans on keeping in touch with his alma mater through the private LSS Alumni Connect platform. “I could help young students needing advice with balancing school with other aspects of life…I know it can be pretty challenging spending time on the road and balancing school in an uncommon way, and dealing with all the alone time.” So be sure to catch up with Alex through the network. With such a wide range of interests, the conversation is sure to be a lively one.
