DENVER – Our MSU Denver student to student-athlete question-and-answer series with MSU Denver Athletics intern Liz Rosenberg continues today.

Today's subject is women's tennis player Kayla Myburgh.
 
Rosenberg: How did you discover MSU Denver? When did you realize it was going to be a good fit for your college career?
Myburgh: I was going through an agency during my many years of tennis. Everyone said if I was playing in tournaments and competitions then I would need one if I wanted to play in the (United) States. When I visited MSU Denver and I met my coach, who is also from Australia, the way he talked about the school and his team, it was amazing. I continued to do more research about Denver, the school, and the living situation. Coming from a country that's always hot, living next to the beach, to moving to a place where there's mountains and snow, it was a complete change and that was perfect for me. I spoke to the captain last year, Tabitha Porter, and she was a lovely New Zealand girl and said incredible things about the university and program. I knew instantly that this school is for me. And I was right! 
 
Rosenberg: Did having a coach from Australia make you a little more comfortable when moving to a whole different continent?
Myburgh: Yes, for sure. I mean, the beach is amazing, I would've still loved to be by the beach, but I have never seen mountains like these. I have never even seen snow in my life, until last year! It is an amazing experience. When I go home, I get the beach, when I come back, I get the mountains. It's a win-win. 
 
Rosenberg: How long have you been playing tennis? Have you played other sports?
Myburgh: I've been playing tennis since I was about 6 or 7. At that age, you play every sport under the sun. I also did a lot of dancing, swimming and running, aside from playing tennis. At the age of 12, my dad told me if I wanted to go far with a sport, now is the age to pick one and drop the others to go forward with one. I chose tennis.
 
Rosenberg: Did you always know you wanted to pursue tennis in college?
Myburgh: When I first made my decision to stick to tennis, I wasn't really thinking of college, since it wasn't super popular for my age group. The more you play tournaments and meet different people and hear about them going to college, then that interests sparks within you. The better you do at tournaments the more you think, I can actually be a college athlete. It all kind of inclined for me and I knew college was where I was going to play tennis. It was a perfect opportunity to use sports to get my degree. 
 
Rosenberg: Have you traveled home since the start of the pandemic?
Myburgh: I went home last year during Christmas and then this summer. Now I have no idea when I get to go home! Australia's border is crazy right now. For them to let me come back over the summer, in August, was a mission. I had to write letters to the government and call around. It was a long process, and it took about two months. I had no idea if I would be coming back or not. It was all up in the air. I was home for five months, which was hard because my boyfriend was here, so I didn't see him, and I didn't know when I was going to see him. It's not worth going back home right now because you must pay for quarantine at a hotel, which the government chooses, and you don't know if you must go through the entire process again to get back into the States. All my friends back home are going to festivals right now, and here we can't even dine-in!
 
Rosenberg: How has your experience in Denver changed from your first day here, to now?
Myburgh: When I first came here, I was never alone. With my parents, they were strict, so my independence wasn't the best. I relied on my teammates. I was the only freshman on the team last year. My teammates taught me how to get around the city, places to eat, how to use the RTD, how to catch the train, what classes to sign up for, and they even took me to my classes when I first got here. The campus is big, and you don't know where you're going when you first start. They taught me how to get all over the athletic complex. Now, I feel like I'm a very independent person and self-reliant. I go around and do my own things, and I'm also with my boyfriend a lot. I'm more than capable of getting around the campus and city by myself. It's been a big change. 
 
Rosenberg: Do you have plans on living in Australia after college, or do you see yourself staying in America?
Myburgh: Actually, I feel a lot of pressure to go back home, but I see a future with my boyfriend, so the plan is for me to stay in the States. We'd be happy living there, or here, but it looks like I might be staying here. 
 
Rosenberg: What has been your crowning achievement thus far in your collegiate tennis career?
Myburgh: The thing is, last season, it got cut short in the spring when we were supposed to have all our matches. This year we really haven't had anything. So, I am still waiting for my breath-taking moment where I feel like I accomplished something big. This year though, we had our scrimmage matches against Colorado Mesa and CSU-Pueblo and we won every single match. We were like, wow, this is our team. We are strong, and we are so excited for what lies ahead in the spring and years to come. 
 
Rosenberg: Do you have any social media for Roadrunners to follow your tennis journey?
Myburgh: My Instagram is @kayla.myburgh and my team's Instagram is @msudenvertennis.