San Diego’s Trey Van Buskirk always dreamed of becoming a professional tennis player. So, 20 years ago as a young teenager, Van Buskirk set out for the famed Bollettieri Academy, leaving behind family and friends and the cozy comforts of his La Jolla upbringing to turn that dream into reality.

A series of bad elbow injuries and a failed arthroscopic surgery a few years later derailed those plans as the now 34-year-old Van Buskirk returned home to settle into a regular job and career and eventually start a family.

But the last few years, something had been gnawing at Van Buskirk – a little voice whispering there may still be time to somehow revisit that long-lost dream.

Van Buskirk recently entered the Pacific Coast Doubles Championships in La Jolla with his brother Kyle who played at SMU and got a good taste of the serves and forehands and volleys that were shot back at him from some of the nation’s top college players. 

“I was able to see the pace and what these guys were bringing,” Van Buskirk said. “I realized I haven’t lost a step.” 

One of Van Buskirk’s buddies told him about the upcoming SoCal Pro Series – a series of seven $15,000 events that are part of the USTA Pro Circuit calendar – and a pre-qualifying tournament taking place April 14-16 just a few miles where he lives at the Rancho Santa Fe Country Club. 

Van Buskirk, a self-professed “cardio freak,” said he had nothing to lose and decided to enter the tournament, which will see him in his first singles draw in 12 years. 

“I want to see that I can still compete,” said Van Buskirk, who has been playing with an advanced group of top players at Barnes Tennis Center on Thursday nights. “I’ve been working out hard and the worst case is I’ll just be a human backboard. I want to see some of these juniors and try and make a little run and put up a little fight against these guys.”

Van Buskirk played for a strong Division III in Rhode Island and later tried to walk-on at Pepperdine, eventually earning his Bachelor’s Degree there in Rhetoric and Leadership. He is currently the Director of eCommerce at a top sunscreen company Sun Bum in Encinitas. 

After looking over the entrants, Van Buskirk saw some familiar names of juniors and college players. He even asked this writer, “So maybe you can help me out here. Who typically enters these types of tournaments?”

When told the upcoming SoCal Pro Series was part of the ITF World Tour and was an opportunity for SoCal players to earn ATP and WTA points, Van Buskirk said: “I didn’t know I was going to be the old dog. I might have to show these guys some old tricks.”

Van Buskirk is no stranger to ITF tour-level events. “When I was at Bollettieri’s we went all over the world chasing points,” said Van Buskirk, who used to hit with top pros Xavier Malisse and Tommy Haas at the academy. 

He concluded: “I want to be put in front of up-and-coming players and just see how I fare. At one point I was there. This isn’t a pipe dream. I know I can compete.”

Southern California players like Van Buskirk can register to play in the Rancho Santa Fe pre-qualifying event by clicking HERE. Deadline is Thursday, April 6.

To learn more about the SoCal Pro Series, go to: https://www.ustasocal.com/proseries.

Follow the SoCal Pro Series on social media @SoCalProSeries! Like the Facebook page and follow along on Instagram.