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Ten years ago, Elizabeth Plotkin of San Francisco was the No. 1-ranked prospect for women's college tennis among high school juniors. Some thought she would go pro, but she didn't. Her heart led her to college.

When Plotkin graduated from Duke University in 2011, some thought she'd be a great investment banker. For a time, she was, working at places such as Morgan Stanley and Bank of America. But her heart led her again.

"I want to be completely transparent here - I was miserable," Plotkin said. "For the amount of hours I was dedicating, I didn't feel personally connected to it. I wanted to have a greater impact on my community. I had a passion for social justice so took a risk to do something I was passionate about."

On the suggestion of her boyfriend, former Duke football player Charlie Hatcher, Plotkin applied and was accepted into the Teach for America program. Soon, she found herself in Oklahoma City, Okla., teaching seventh- and eighth-grade students at a low-achieving inner-city middle school.

"My first year of teaching, it was less than half what was making in banking, but at the same time, I was loving my work," Plotkin said. "I was loving those 10-plus hours I was spending. I was making a large impact on a greater number of people. That's what drove me to this."

Today, Plotkin, 27, is the Founding Director of Operations at KIPP - Dallas Fort Worth, part of a national network of free college-preparatory public charter schools. She plays the role of the operational school leader and is responsible for facilities, finance, technology, risk management, compliance, managing an operations team, and much more so that the instructional staff can focus on teaching and student learning.

TennisRecruiting.net recently talked with Plotkin. In this question-and-answer interview, Plotkin reflects on her days as a blue-chip recruit and a standout college player - and the unexpected but fulfilling path she took after tennis.

Questions and Answers

Tennis Recruiting (TR): It's been almost 10 years since you were a junior player, thinking about college tennis. What are your memories of your days in the juniors?

Elizabeth Plotkin (EP): I remember a lot of traveling. I remember the people. Jenni-Lee Heinser and I won an Orange Bowl title in doubles. She was my best friend, and we're still really close. We talk all the time. I remember having lots of fun. I don't think I'd be the person I am without those experiences to be independent. It taught me to work well with others and to be fiercely competitive and to be excellent at something. I loved it. I wish I could go back.

TR: You chose Duke over Florida and Stanford among others. What was the recruiting process like for you?

EP: I just remember having the results that I did [Plotkin was ranked as high as No. 31 in the junior ITF rankings at one point], there was a pressure not go to college. It was almost frowned upon. I had to reflect on what I valued and wanted to do in my life, and as much as I loved tennis, I found it not an end - but a means to it.

I really wanted to go to college, and not just any college, but one where I felt a part of a family and a culture fit for me. So I would recommend that all junior players reflect on what they want to do in their lives. If they love tennis, if they love to eat and breathe tennis every day, that's awesome. Pursue that. But if there's something in their gut saying they love something else, there's no better place than college to learn about yourself and what you can do with your life and contribute to society.