Some people find something that they are naturally good at. Other people find something that they are good at when they put forth a bit of work. Still others, like myself, find something that they just aren’t good at no matter how hard they try, but love it nonetheless. While I may be stuck in mediocrity on the tennis courts, I learned something way more beneficial than how to hit a perfect forehand.

I started playing varsity tennis when I was in ninth grade. My coaches were lovely people who encouraged us all to always do our best and make sure we had fun while we improved our skills. We would blast music on the courts each day and drill until the sun went down. I often got to practice early and left late, and I also showed up for several hours each weekend. I was definitely not the best on the team, but I was not the worst either. It stayed this way for all four years. I was never the number one player, even during my senior year. I played our number three singles position and I was content with it.

During both the off-season and the on-season, I would go out to the courts just to get in a little extra time. I annoyed my friends because whenever they would want to hang out, all I wanted to do was play tennis. I even made them sign up for tournaments with me so I could practice my skills in an actual match.

I didn’t put in all of the extra hours because I wanted to be the best and beat everyone. I spent all of those hours on the courts because tennis is truly a sport I enjoy. Throughout all my years of practicing and practicing, I built up my endurance and I learned to always keep going and never give up. I finally got a chance to show off my perseverance in the region tournament during my senior year.

It was the deciding match between our school and our rival school. The school that won would continue on to the state competition, while the school that lost would not. As the third singles player, my match was the last to start. My team won our first two matches and lost the next two. That left only my match. Whether or not we went to state now depended on my match.

My opponent and I started playing and I quickly realized we were evenly matched. We played so similarly that it was like watching myself play in a mirror. Neither of us could win a point because we just kept going back and forth for ages. Eventually, I won the first set and she won the second. We had already been playing for upwards of three hours in weather that was easily above 90 degrees with not a cloud in sight. Our movements had drastically slowed down. However, we kept going.

After a bit, my opponent’s feet began to drag a bit more than mine did. Her racquet swing didn’t quite reach the ball at the exact moment it should. I could see she was drained just barely more than I was. Blisters on my feet and sweat pouring down my face, I kept going on until I finally won the third set. I was so happy to be done!

My entire team ran out on the court and hugged me, and even my opponent’s father came out to congratulate me. He told me that she had been previously undefeated since she always outlasted those that she played against and that he was proud of me for being able to keep going. Four and a half hours after my match started, I walked off the court with a smile on my face and a place in the state competition.

Had it not been for my love for tennis and the perseverance I built up through practice, there is no way I would have been able to keep going. Honestly, there were many moments I felt like giving up. It was a brutal match and every single muscle in my body ached, but there was nothing more rewarding than knowing that I didn’t give up and kept going and helped take my team to the next level. Perseverance is my strongest skill, and it’s one I wouldn’t trade for the world.