Charles Broom (OA 2016)

Tennis has always been an important part of Charles’ life. 

At the mere age of two, Charles picked up his first racket and 21 years later, he now plays for the best tennis team in the US college system.

During his time at St Albans School, Charles had a real passion for science, particularly Biology and Chemistry, which he pursued at university. In Upper Sixth Form, he decided to attend Dartmouth College, an Ivy League school located in Hanover, New Hampshire. During his time there, he completed his BSc in Biochemistry and also played at the top singles and doubles position. However, in March 2020, the global pandemic gave him a new opportunity to explore.

Due to the pandemic, every student-athlete gained an extra year of eligibility to compete in their chosen sport. This allowed Charles the opportunity to begin a master's degree in Sports Pedagogy at Baylor University, whilst continuing to compete at the highest level of college tennis.

Nine months on and the team was ranked number one in the country, won the Big 12 Conference Championship and reached the final of National Championship. Once the season is over, Charles will start his professional tennis career by competing in international tournaments and hopes that one day he will be able to compete at Wimbledon.

Charles’ has found his experience at St Albans School invaluable in preparing him for his academic studies and professional life. His advice to pupils is as follows:

“One of the biggest challenges that I have faced in my academic life that also applies to life after school, is time management. I would encourage students to try and be as organised with their time as possible, as you’ll find that you have more time than you think to do the things you enjoy if you plan ahead and stay organised.”