Inverell tennis star Ben Butler is about to embark on the journey of a lifetime.
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Butler has earned a scholarship to American College Indiana Tech to train, compete and study business management full-time.
The 19-year-old heads off on Friday to begin his four-year adventure.
"I am really looking forward to it," Butler said.
"The nerves are starting to kick in which I expected that.
"It will be a tough first month or two, just changing lifestyles, but I am really looking forward to it."
Butler obtained the scholarship through program Study and Play USA which is aimed at finding young Australian athletes opportunities in America.
He earned it through his numerous on court feats including representing North West, NSW CHS at national titles, competing at tournaments in the Northern Territory, NSW, Victoria and Queensland as well as his local feats like winning the Inverell Champion of Champions in junior and open divisions and being part of the Northern Inland Academy of Sport. Butler also spent time on the Gold Coast at KDV sports to train full-time.
"it has been really good to experience a lot of different places, go to a lot of different towns and meet so many people," he said.
"That helped me get the scholarship."
He also credits his local club for also getting him there.
"Inverell, we have the most courts in the region which helps have tournaments here which has been easy travel," Butler said.
After putting his application, Study and Play USA came back with multiple offers for Butler but ultimately it was the Indiana-based college which won him over.
"They approached a few universities and I spoke to probably 10, and got offers from all over America," he said.
"I spoke to the coach [at Indiana Tech] on Skype about five times which really helped and he gave me a really good insight into the college, the team and what they do over there."
COVID-19 has made getting overseas a little bit more difficult but Butler's student visa was approved and now he is just looking forward to making his way there.
"I will meet more people over there which will be amazing," he said.
"I just got added to the group chat and they said 'introduce yourselves' and there's so many people from all over the world which will be good to meet all these people and see how they live."