Colorado State University Athletics
Zhurin Right At Home
3/18/2005 12:00:00 AM | General
Tennis has been her life. Dasha Zhurin began playing at age five when she lived in Moscow, Russia with her parents. Playing collegiate tennis at Colorado State has always been a dream for Zhurin.
?I chose to play tennis here because it is what I have always wanted to do,? Zhurin said. ?It is home, and I have known Coach Messick since I moved here.? Zhurin moved to Fort Collins when she was eight and met Coach Jon Messick when she began playing in juniors tournaments. She competed locally, state-wide, nationally, and in the Intermountain region. In high school, Zhurin was a three-time letter winner playing the No. 1 singles position all three years for Fort Collins High School. At FCHS, she won the 5A Regional tournament and placed second, third and second at the Colorado State 5A tennis tournament her sophomore, junior, and senior years respectively.
Zhurin?s favorite part about tennis is the opportunity to play. It has helped her make decisions on and off the court.
?It is such an individual sport that teaches you how to stand on your own two feet and face the competition,? Zhurin said. The biggest thrill for her is the adrenaline rush when she wins a long volley. She loves playing in front of a crowd and the noise energizes her as well.
Things Zhurin loves to do besides tennis include playing the piano and speaking Russian. She really enjoys speaking Russian with her family and everyone else that speaks Russian. Zhurin began playing the piano when she was four, though tennis and school now take much of her free time. She also has begun running.
?I used to hate it before college,? Zhurin recalled. ?I figured it would make sense to use my long legs.? It helps her think and clear her mind. She has only competed in one 5K race and she won her age division. She thinks that maybe in the future she?ll run a little more.
One of Zhurin?s most inspiring experiences was when she visited Nara, Japan?s Big Buddha temple. It was a surreal experience for her.
?With everything going on in the world with depression, sadness, and our busy lives, we often overlook that we are here for a reason,? Zhurin stated. ?We just have to step back and enjoy life, take a breather.? It also taught her that life isn?t about tennis, school, or boys; it?s about the little things we tend to overlook.
Though Zhurin is not quite sure what her reason for being here is or what she will do with her degrees in Accounting and Political Science, she is just taking life one semester at a time and will think long term once tennis is done. She would eventually like to start opening tennis facilities and clubs to help younger kids begin to play tennis. She says she?d like to give back because Fort Collins and the Colorado tennis communities have helped her along the way.
Melanie Calderwood
CSU Media Relations Intern
