I first stumbled into playing tennis my freshman year of high school. I apparently thought it wasn't too shabby, because I stuck with it for the following four years. When high school came to a close, I was forced to walk away from the game I had developed an utter obsession with.
Whenever there's a nice sunny day, with minimal breeze I still always find myself wishing I was on the court.
While I may not carry a racquet anymore (unless I beg and plead my sister or brother to volley with me), I do manage to carry a slew of life long lessons the game that won my passion somehow managed to teach me.
1.) Every game begins with "love."
If you don't have a passion for it, don't do it.
2.) Everyone pretty much gets a second chance.
If you fail at serving the first time, get yourself together and hit the ball again.
3.) Whatever is served to you, don't be intimidated.
Whether the ball is zooming past your face, or you hear it drilling into the ground, if it's in bounds never be afraid to hit it right back.
4.) Comebacks are always possible.
The game can be love-40, but just a few hits later and you're at duce. There is always a chance. Never give up. Play like you're winning, even if you're losing!
5.) There isn't always a referee in life, sometimes you've got to call the shots. This leads us to #6...
6.) Life isn't always fair.
Sometimes people will call the wrong shots. They'll be deceitful and call things out when they were in, and in when they were out. Let them. In the end, karma can catch them and you'll still win.
7.) Commit.
Follow through. If you halfway hit it, you'll fail. If you give it your all, you'll succeed.
8.) Keep your eye on the ball.
9.) When you can't run with your legs, run with your heart.
There will always be those times when the ball just barely makes it in bounds at the last second and you have to run across the court furiously, do it for your love of the game, even if your legs feel like utter Jello.
10.) Team work makes the dream work.
This one was a struggle for me. It took some time. Okay fine, it took lots of time. I played singles. I loved singles. It meant that if I did something stupid like halfway hit the ball, I could only be mad at myself. However, coming from a small high school we were always short players. This meant that after I finished my singles match, my coach would usually ask me to fill in for a doubles match. I despised relying upon someone else to hit the ball. I used to walk away from doubles defeats annoyed at my teammate, but in the end I realized being annoyed surely wasn't helping our game.
11.) When you're on the court, people may not cheer you on.
There is nothing more annoying than having your opponent's obnoxious screaming parents on the sidelines. Cheer yourself on. Learn to deal with your haters.
12.) Practice, practice, practice.
Eat, sleep, and dream your dream. I spent an endless amount of time on the court. I remember nights where I'd get out of school, go straight to practice, run home and eat, call my friends and go right back to the court until it was dark and my mother forced me to go home. It didn't matter if it was sprinkling, if there was gusty winds, if it was blazing hot out, and even one time when it was snowing, if you needed me you could always find me at the courts. I would beg my mom, my dad, my brother, my sister, and my friends to go play. When they wouldn't, I went by myself and practiced serving over, and over, and over again. I annoyed them endlessly because I wanted to play 24/7. This brings me to #13...
13.) You will only get out of something what you are willing to put into it.
I worked hard, I was a dedicated player, and I was willing to do whatever it took to get better at the game. People who complain about their abilities, most likely aren't working to improve them.
14.) Critical thinking is critical.
Life is all about strategy. Figure out how you're going to hit the ball, don't just hit it aimlessly.
15.) Once you love something, you always will.
There isn't a nice summer, spring, or fall day that goes by that I don't dream about being on the court again. Time passes, friends change, and your new friends just might not play tennis. But, your passion never dies. Your obsession is still very much alive. Your love for the game will always be.
