Q: What do Andy Murray, Roger Federer and the College have in common?

A: Luke Bourgeois

For the last eight years, students from The McDonald College train each day on the world-class courts at Sydney Olympic Park under the careful eye of Voyager Tennis Academy coaches including its co-founder, Luke Bourgeois.

Luke first picked up a racquet aged four and was a national champion by 17. Luke was mentored by Australian champion Tony Roache. Thriving in the international tournaments, he was advised to hit the professional circuit. And so, he knocked back offers from the likes of Harvard University.

Luke achieved some wins over some of the biggest names in tennis including Andy Murray, David Ferrer, and the Bryan brothers. He even travelled as part of Roger Federer’s team for three years.

By the age of 30, he was ready to come home. As time passed, he has often thought that perhaps he should have taken the College route, after all. It’s one of the reasons, Luke shares our view that talented tennis players should not give up their education to pursue their sporting dreams. And nor should they have to give up their sport to pursue their education.

“In our partnership with The McDonald College they can excel at both,” he says. The ultimate – but not the only – pathway for our students is the US College circuit. “It gives the kids four more years of cultivating their talent and skills, as well as the academic back-up,” he says. “To date, we’ve had a 100 percent success rate of the full-time Voyager students securing a place in a US College, if they want one.”

Our next Tennis Open Day is Wed 11 August if you know of anyone who might be interested to find out more.