User:Christian "Moose" Wassmer

Christian Wassmer is a former US-college tennis player from Germany. *29 January 1973 in Singen, Germany. Biography Born in southern Germany, Wassmer started playing football, tennis and alpine skiing at the age of 3. By the age of 14 he had competed in the finals of regionals in the sports of volleyball, handball, basketball, swimming, alpine skiing, football and tennis - all in the same year. Albeit his polysportivness, he decided to focus on the sport of tennis at the age of 16. Junior Tennis Career After winning 9 regional tennis championships (outdoors/indoors)between 1983 - 1991, he competed in the 1991 German National Single Championships as well as in the 1990 and 1991 German National Team Championships. College Tennis Career In 1993, at the age of 20, Wassmer decided to accept a tennis scholarship from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Virginia, ranked Number 9 in the NCAA Division I at the time. He finished his freshman campaign with a record of 17-11 in singles. During his first year he had a win over the number 1 doubles team in the country. After his freshman year, Wassmer decided to transfer to Ouachita Baptist University (OBU) in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, an NAIA institution. The next two years 1995-1996, Wassmer enjoyed great success playing mainly at the number 2 spot for a top 5 team in the country. Wassmer saved his best performance for his senior year. While leading the teams in wins in singles and doubles, Wassmer reached the 1997 Quaterfinals of the NAIA National Tennis Singles Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma. During this year he was names the Conference Player of the Year, OBU's Athlete of the Year and the recipient of the most presitgious award in college tennis - the Tennis Magazine's National Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award. Sabbatical in Japan After having played college tennis for four years, Wassmer was awarded the American Japanese Exchange scholarship from Seinan Gakuin University in Fukuoka City, Japan. While studying Japanese language, history, sports and art, Wassmer also taught the musical "The sound of music" to a group of 60 japanese high-school students, finishing 2nd in the national competition. Return to the United States In 1999, Wassmer returned to finish his degree at OBU, graduation with a bachelor of arts in mass communications and international affairs. "College Coaching" In January 2000, Wassmer was hired by the University of Texas, in Arlington, Texas as the Associate Head Coach for Men's and Women's Tennis. From 2000-2004, Wassmer was mainly in charge of the Women's Tennis Team winning the Southland Conference three consecutive times from 2000-2003.