Marton Horvath, originally from Budapest, came to the US to play college tennis at Lamar University. After a successful college career, Marton decided to dedicate his work to prepare future players to avoid mistakes in their development and fulfill their dreams of playing college sports as well. Now as a USP Certified Advisor, Marton represents USP in Europe helping student-athletes secure their future on a daily basis.

This is the tenth interview of a series we did with all our staff members, we want you to really get to know us, understand who we are, where we come from, and why are we so passionate about college athletics and helping young students and athletes secure their future.

USP: Tell us about your background. Where are you from? Where did you grow up?

Marton: I am from Budapest, Hungary. I grew up trying different sports and decided to focus only on tennis around age 9. I dedicated most of my childhood to tennis and by the time I was in high school, I knew I wanted to play college tennis.

USP: Where did you go to college?

Marton: I went to Lamar University in TX, where I had the pleasure to play on a D1 tennis team and then coach as a graduate assistant.

USP: Who have been your strongest influences in life?

Marton: My parents, grandfather, and a few of my coaches and teachers. I think it is an important ability to learn something from everyone that crosses our path.

USP: What led you to this career? How did you end up at USP?

Marton: I went through what I would describe as a very typical recruitment process for a European player. I thought finding a college would be straightforward, so I decided to do the process on my own, and made all the mistakes along the way. I started too late, didn't do my research, didn't ask the right question, and ended up not having many options despite my solid resume. Throughout my time at Lamar, I learned so much about college sports, and I decided that I wanted to help prepare future players to avoid these mistakes and help them find the perfect fit. After a small detour in the corporate world, I knew I wanted to get into what I was passionate about, and I found that USP's values and philosophy about recruiting aligned with my own. Add to that a fantastic team that is more like a family, and I just knew this was a company that I wanted to be a part of. 

USP: What is your proudest experience since working with USP?

Marton: There are a few, but if I had to pick one it would be the USP winter tennis showcase of 2019. It was an incredibly moving experience to see over a hundred kids and more than a hundred coaches together, with many players finding their college program right in front of our eyes. I also got to meet and actually coach through the event two clients that I was working with at the time.. 

USP: What is the main mistake you see in the recruiting process?

Marton: Waiting until the last minute to start. This is said a lot, but for a reason. There is nothing to lose by starting earlier, on the other hand, we see students having limited options by waiting too long.

USP: Is there any student or client that you've worked with that has had a lasting impression on you?

Marton: This will have to be one of my very first clients, Kaipo. He is one of the nicest guys I met and his dedication to the recruiting process was exemplary. Still, his recruitment was full of unexpected challenges, but we kept working hard together and in the end, it all paid off. He signed with a great university that I believe will help him achieve his dreams.

USP: What is your most important advice for a student and for the parents?

Marton: Start early and get involved. College is truly one of the life-defining periods in life, and students and their families want to make sure that the recruiting process is not left up to luck. College athletics is more competitive than ever, so it is crucial to stand out, and there is very little room for mistakes.

Thank you, Marton!