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Steamboat Springs — Recent Steamboat Springs High School graduate Charlie Smith's boredom has turned into an opportunity to play collegiate tennis.

Smith, a three-year varsity player for the Sailors, will play tennis for Division III Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C., in the fall, a little more than four years after he first picked up a tennis racket.

Smith played soccer for most of his childhood, but the sport had worn on him by the start of his freshman year. With nothing to do in the fall, Smith decided to give tennis a try.

"The first time I picked up a racket was the first time I practiced two weeks before my freshman year," Smith said. "Coach (John) Aragon played me with the same kid every day. It was terrible. But I worked a lot harder that spring and made varsity my sophomore year."

Smith played No. 4 doubles as a sophomore and then wrapped up his junior and senior years at No. 1 doubles. He finished fourth at state with partner Alex Gibbs his junior year.

"I think it's just that I'm athletic," Smith said in regards to how he picked up the game so quickly. "I worked hard and was committed to tennis. If sports were a class, I'd get an 'A' in it. But I played with better players, and it was all around just fun."

Smith also had a scholarship offer to play at Mesa State College in Grand Junction. He considered it, but ultimately decided to head to North Carolina where he has family.

He visited Guilford College and knew it was the place for him. He hit with coach Eddie Luck and several of the other players and was offered a spot on the team. He'll play doubles and singles next year.

Because Guilford is Division III, it can't give out athletic scholarships. Still, Smith earned several academic scholarships to help with the cost. His plan is to spend two years at Guilford before transferring to a bigger school in California or North Carolina.

"Oh yeah, Charlie can definitely play at the college level," Aragon said. "The thing is, if he keeps the same attitude and keeps working and challenging himself, by the time he's a junior or senior, he's going to be quite a player."

Smith left Thursday for Alaska to attend a National Outdoor Leadership School trip. He flies into North Carolina on Aug. 16 to start school and tennis.

He said he isn't sure what he'll study - perhaps education or business - but said he is glad to have the opportunity to keep playing tennis.

"I'm playing the best I have my whole life," he said. "The coaches have been talking about it, and I hope it stays like that when I get back. But I'll be playing with good kids. I'll have to play better."