As you may have noticed from my page, I’m kind of a huge tennis fan. I know most of you are probably wondering why Tennis of all sports? Which is common and understandable. I mean really…….why tennis? Well let me explain…….
For as long as I can remember I’ve been in love with the game of Tennis and everything surrounding it. Tennis has brought me a new found happiness that I never knew existed, it brings out the best in me and has changed my life for the better. It has become such a huge part of my life and I couldn’t imagine my life without it nor would I want to.
For the first 4 years of my life I had been raised only by my mom and grandparents. My so called real “biological” father was non-existent and no where to be found. He had abandoned my mother at the age of 18 after an abusive relationship and threatened to take me away from her. As you can imagine, I was a bit curious as to where my father was when I looked at every other little girl my age, having a man to call “dad.” Little did I know at that age that my life would completely change forever.
At that age of 4 I was introduced to the game and when I look back at my life now, I find it bizarre how at that age I found my first love. My father now, was the one who brought this exciting new sport to my life. Yet, I really wasn’t his biggest fan and I guess that’s pretty normal for everyone when a new man comes into yours and your mothers life. But he shared his passion with me and the one thing that made him happiest in life, tennis. Besides my mother of course. Which in a way helped me make sense of the whole situation and brought me closer to him. And that’s one of the main reasons why I fell in love with the sport in the first place. Its because as a little girl I was blessed with a real father and I thank tennis for that.
My love for tennis sparked and my desire to learn more about it all started when my dad and I began bonding over the game by spending every summer, after my parents met, with him at his summer tennis camp and weekends at his house. He told me hundreds and thousands of stories of how he first started playing tennis and then moved onto high school and eventually was given the opportunity to play college tennis. Till this day I hear the same stories over and over again and I never get tired of them. He showed me trophies and awards of his accomplishments with tennis. I watched him coach others and was amazed at the impact he had on his players and his ability to play the game so effortlessly. Honestly, I was in awe. And at that moment I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. It didn’t matter what happened to me in life, I just knew I was never letting go of something this special.
Now 20 years later, every child hood memory I can ever remember is all tennis related. And when I talk about my child hood to others, I almost always mention tennis. Tennis has brought me pure joy in so many aspects of my life from my education, boyfriends, family, friends, work and personal health. I met my best friend through it and made many other great friends along the line that I still am close with today even in college. I met my first real boyfriend through tennis and even experienced my first real heart break because of it all. I experienced my first lost and defeat in life and have cried many times but shared even more laughs out on the court. Ive had so many great and even horrible “firsts” through the game that not many people can say they have experienced through a sport.
Tennis has always and still remains my escape from reality in life. It serves as my shield from all the corruption and evil in the world. Because whenever I think of what the game has brought to me and the difference it has not only made in my life but in the lives of my loved ones and people who I don’t even know, I begin to see the good in the world. Tennis reminds me of the greatness that lies in everyone. Because even all sports, in their purest form, when athletes from all around the world unite with either a teammate, coach or prospective player to rise above themselves and touch greatness whether it be from winning a game, championship or making a comeback……reminds me that we are all capable of overcoming difficult times and in doing so reminds us all that there is something special about each and everyone of us. We were all put on this world for a reason.
Another reason why I love the game so much, is the game itself. There is something unique and fascinating about it that makes it stand out when you compare it to your Big 3 sports football, baseball, and basketball. The scoring itself is very much distinguishable on its own and its what people notice most about it. I mean come on, love means zero, you cant say that’s not pretty cool. Its a complicated sport to pick up on in terms of rules, scoring and style but I find it interesting and rewarding.
I absolutely admire the eloquence, modesty and grace that goes into the game and the heart and soul that players such as Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic put in today.
I love how the game of tennis can bring together anyone, it unites people of different backgrounds no matter their race, religion, culture or what type of “click” you’re in. Ive seen it with my own eyes and witnessed it myself how people you would have never thought would ever be seen together are out on the court sharing a common interest and having fun.
I love how on any given day you can just pick up any racket and a tennis ball and go out and play at a local park or school, there is always someone there willing to play with you.
I love the kindness and dignity behind the game, and how the majority of people who play are all loyal and nice (at least in my experience).
I love the comfort and safety Ive experienced with the game. I love the feeling of being a part of a team and contributing to your teammates. I love the feeling of being a champion or witnessing your teammate win that last point.
I love the family feel around the game and how you’ll find that after spending 3 hours on the court with one person or 3 other people you’ll begin to form a friendship with them. Its funny how you can go into a match hating your opponent and then come out with a new friend. Especially since the majority of the time you’ll play that person at least another 5x.
I love the nerves and rush behind the game and going out onto the court and feeling all different kinds of emotions especially in a final match. I love the feeling of excitement behind learning a new trick or getting that winner off an opponent or nailing your serve. Especially the “tweener” which I have yet to master. I especially love watching live tennis matches whether it be professional, high school or even toddlers playing. Which btw they are some badass little 4 year olds who can probably beat me tbh. Honestly, I used to hate watching tennis on T.V. because I am easily distracted and just didn’t get the same thrill as opposed to watching it in person. But it grew on me the more I started watching, especially with my dad. He literally always has the T.V. on the tennis channel 24/7 and he is always reading up on the latest tennis news. Now a days, I’ll even stay up till 3am just to watch the finals of a grand slam or even more so I’ve gone out at midnight just to play tennis with my friends.
My true passion for the game lies in coaching and I guess I get that from my dad after watching him coach tennis for the past 15 years of his life. Ive seen what he has done for his players and even for me how they admire him and come back to visit him even after they’re all grown up with kids of their own. He even coaches some of their kids.
I’ve coached tennis for the past 5 years of my life, it all started the summer before my junior year of high school. I began coaching 4 year olds over the summer and then every summer after that for 2 summers in a row I stuck with toddlers. It wasn’t until after I graduated high school that I began coaching students my age which was a completely different experience for me and much more challenging as compared to toddlers.
When I came to Texas A&M I immediately joined tennis club and became involved in coaching for Parks and Recreation where I was exposed to coaching elderly citizens. Which was a huge shock to me since its something I had never been exposed to and had no experience in. I was nervous and hesitant and didn’t know how to go about it but I found it very rewarding in the end. I appreciated the value and admired the determination that these older adults were putting in to learn something new after so long and I felt grateful that I was able to teach them and give them that first experience. Its been 3 years now and Ive coached some people who are as young as 30 and as old as 65 and I love it. Ive been able to meet some really great people and make connections over something as simple as a game of tennis.
I enjoy the little things that are part of the game because they are what make tennis so special to me. I love and enjoy the pure joy and excitement that someone gets after learning a new drill or nailing that serve and volley and saying “thanks coach Bobbie.” It means Ive done my job right and that Ive been able to pass on my passion for the game through someone else who I barely even know. And who knows maybe one day that little kid or adult will look back on their first experience of playing tennis and think of me and smile and really that’s all I can hope for….is that they have a good experience when it comes to tennis and want more.
So to end things I wanted to include my favorite quote from one the greatest female tennis players that pretty much sums up my feelings towards the game. Now go out and pick up a racket and tennis ball and make a new friend!
Sports with B 