I can still vividly remember the very first day when we first met at the Seney Hall parking lot a week before orientation started. Our summer ended a week earlier than the rest of our classmates, but there was a clear sense of excitement for the tennis season to start. We had to move in a week early because we had pre-season that entire week. That week consisted of two practices daily: one in the morning and one in the afternoon, with about only two hours in between. Coming from summer vacation, this took a physical toll on our bodies since we weren't adapted to the intensity quite yet.
Later on, we would come to realize that pre-season has prepared us a lot better physically and helped us become a lot more fit. We were able to practice at a higher intensity for longer periods of time without our bodies being in a ton of pain afterwards. All of us also had a lot more time to bond with each other and get to know each other before the school year started. Every day was extremely fun even though it was exhausting.
I've always adored the grind that tennis gave me so having practice everyday after classes was a stress-reliever for me. I would always look forward to practice because I feel completely myself when I'm playing and I love being with my funny, dedicated team. I've never met a more committed group of people than my teammates. They are always working hard to get better whether it be on or off the court. It's safe to say that they inspire me each and everyday.
Our coach has also played a big role in shaping who we are as players and as students. She is very understanding and always remains positive despite the circumstances. She encourages us to "love the battle" rather than focusing solely on the win itself. This phrase has played a big part in how all of us played our matches at Nationals because we all had the time of our lives.
Throughout the season, it was difficult adapting my academic schedule around athletics and vice versa, but it provided me with a better sense of time management. I was able to prioritize effectively.
It was very hot and sunny everyday at practice, had most of our weekends taken up because of tennis matches, and needed to be flexible to changing schedules, but it was all worthwhile in the end. We had one goal in mind: to three-peat as National Champions.
I'm not going to lie when I say there were some difficult changes that we had to adapt to quickly. We lost a very strong player mid-season due to academics and that changed the dynamic of the team. We all missed having her so it was hard going to practice and not seeing her there with us. We had to learn how to adapt to this situation quickly since Nationals was approaching closer day by day. The majority of us had to move up a position and some of us were also assigned different partners for doubles. It was a big change, but we ended up making it work.
The matches and tournaments leading up to Nationals tested us. A lot of the schools we played against were Division I, Division II, or four-year colleges. They all consisted of extremely talented athletes so we were put up against the best. Everyone on the team never gave up during any single match no matter how difficult it was. We've had some terrific matches such as the undefeated week in Mississippi, but we've also had some strenuous ones such as the ITA tournament. Regardless, we still fought because it would improve our individual games and later on help us succeed at Nationals.
It did help us with Nationals tremendously because we were more than prepared for the competition.
This time I spent at Nationals is a weekend that I will never forget because it was the best weekend of my life. Even though we had a lot of pressure placed on us to three-peat, we focused on having fun and spending the last moments of the fall season together. I cherished every moment and cheer I had with the team. We indulged on delicious food together, cheered each other on, and at the end of the three days, sweeped the finals and won Nationals! That was a day I will never forget and I will treasure those memories for a long, long time.
After our delicious celebratory lunch filled with enormous portions of entrees and cheesecake, we awarded ourselves with a nap on the van ride back, smiling and relaxing. We did it Eagles, we finally did it!
