written by Augusta University student Jaylan Hayes
Men's tennis captain Arthur Valette is preparing for his third season with the team he's come a long way to play with. It was always his goal to leave his hometown of Lyon, France to attend school in the United States.
"In France, it's very difficult to do a sport and school after high school. I would either have to study 100% or just play tennis. But if you don't succeed in the part, you chose you don't have a backup plan," said Valette.
This was one of the main reasons he saw a future in the US. Valette grew up with a family that has always been supportive of his dreams and even has an older sister who came to the US for school. While they might be sad, they don't see him as often as they'd like, they're happy for all he has accomplished so far.
While Valette has his sights set on America for school there was no specific destination in mind. There were plenty of schools for him to consider before eventually deciding on Augusta University. He knew the city was famous for the master's and when he was looking into it, he thought the tennis team was good.
"American people always tell me it's not the best city in the US, you know, and I agree. But I like it. It's a good fit for me," he said.
Being a freshman in college can be difficult for anyone but being so far from home had challenges that not everyone experiences.
"The first semester was the most difficult. I'm away from family arriving in this new country with different cultures, different languages and a new system to work with. I thought about transferring, but I decided to wait for the tennis season to start in the spring," he said.
Valette loved his first season with the team and even shares a favorite memory with his teammate, Enzo Garutti, when they beat North Georgia their freshman year.
Even though Valette learned English in school and has no problem talking the language he believes most of his issues come from understanding it. All the different accents sometimes confuse him, especially a southern accent.
"When I arrived in the US I was speaking pretty well. I had good basics but it's when I started speaking every day that I really improved," said Valette.
Valette will be going home for the upcoming Christmas break but will be staying in the US during the summer. He's happy to be going home as he's missed his family, friends, and the food.
He's really enjoyed traveling to all the different places in the US. So far, he's been to Washington D.C., Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, and Charleston. During Thanksgiving break his plans were to go to New York with friends from the team.
"My favorite place so far has been Charleston. I really liked the city. I loved the vibes there," he said.
Valette is a big sports fan and loves to watch any games he can. He even attended the 2024 Paris Olympics for track and field and soccer. It was one of the coolest experiences he has had and was grateful he could attend.
One of his other passions includes music. His secret talent is the fact he can do blind tests with songs and recognizes them super-fast. This is with all types of music not just a specific genre. (We'll need one of his friends to put this to the test).
Valette is in school working on a business degree with a double concentration in finance and marketing. Something he has always wanted to do as his father is in the business world. With so many possibilities about what his future could look like after graduation Valette doesn't know what his plans are.
"I prefer to focus on the present. I have time to figure everything out," he said.
With the fall semester finally ending, it's almost time for the tennis season to start and Valette couldn't be more excited to see what's to come.
