I will never forget the time I tried out for the high school tennis team. It was spring of freshman year when I decided to pursue tennis. I attended a few tennis camps in the past and didn’t have much experience in the sport. I desired to be a part of a school team and tennis seemed to interest me. To strengthen my skills in the sport, I started to take lessons from a professional tennis instructor named Don Henson. I trained and played tennis every week at my local tennis courts. The sport was fun and I found myself becoming more skilled as time progressed.
Sophomore year came around and I was more involved in tennis than ever. I was committed to the sport and I played with the intent of becoming better. As tennis tryouts approached, I doubled the amount of lessons I took each week. I practiced as much as possible and played as many matches as I could. In the days leading up to tryouts, I felt I was prepared. My tennis instructor told me that I could make the JV team and I was encouraged by those around me that I would succeed.
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As I stepped onto the court, I was confident that I would win. I played as hard as I could, but the competition was fierce. I lost 75% of the games I played. Knowing it was the first day of tryouts, I kept my hopes up. There were still 4 days left of tryouts and I knew I could improve. The next day, I didn’t do any better as I only won 25% of the games I played. As the week progressed, I played against multiple students, but my score did not improve. The final day of tryouts then arrived. This was perhaps the last chance I had to improve my chances of making the team. I told myself that I would not go down without a fight. As the sweat dripped down my face, I gave it my all. To my disappointment, I still lost most of the games I played. Based on my performance, I left tryouts knowing I probably didn’t make the
In a way, tennis is a metaphor for life. It requires motivation and passion. A match is a battle, where the best show not only strength and poise, but intelligence, sportsmanship, and resolve. The Edwardsville tennis program has taught me so much about striving for excellence and the pay off of hard work.
“Why me?” I asked myself. I had been working harder than anybody else I knew; I trained all year long, I would stay an hour longer at practice than my other teammates, and I would even have double practices a few times a week (one at school and one with my club coach). I was so discouraged, not just one meet but two meets in a row I was unable to clear any
Six years of pee wee, four years of travel, roughly 10,000 dollars of my parents hard earned money spent in payments, numerous nights of practice, countless days consumed by games and I did not make the team. An entire summer of early mornings dedicated to workouts, and I did not make the team. My freshman year I tried out for the Brentwood High School soccer team and didn’t make the cut. I will never forgot waiting anxiously for that email, opening it and not seeing my name on that roster. I was devastated, embarrassed and simply sad.
Throughout playing tennis for Creekside Middle School, I have faced lots of success. I played varsity all three years there, and during my sixth grade year, helped my team win the annual county tournament between middle schools. Though I was successful for many of my matches, I did met with failure at times. One of these times would be in my seventh grade year, when my doubles partner and I had lost in the final round of the tournament.
It is the morning before all of the Frisco Independent School District tennis teams face off to see who will be the best in singles and doubles. The weather is nice and it will quickly rise to the mid-90s. I cannot wait to get to school to see my team mates and play my final match for Wakeland High School Tennis team. I have been preparing for this match for seven years, without realizing the full affects.
We all celebrate our exciting moment of victory, but months later the tryouts for the summer travel team would happen. The fun-filled first day was also nerve-wracking, but we all have each other like a family. Then, the next day of tryouts with starting sprints and stretching. Next, the contact portion - tackling with passing - came upon us faster than we thought. The first times through the drill went well, but it’s finally my turn after waiting in line.
The final off-the-court lesson the narrator learned from his statement “Put in enough hours, your game is going to blast off” (del le Pena). Was that if you push yourself you will get the outcome you
College is a crucial time of development in a person's life. Growth can come easily when momentum and success drive you forward, but what about when you're faced with failure and hardships? Beginning college as an athlete was a challenge, however, after dislocating my hip I learned that now everyday life was a struggle. I could have easily allowed this obstacle to end my growth and college career, especially the two surgeries that followed my initial reconstruction, but I realized my circumstance would not define me but drive me. The will to grow and learn when in the face of a challenge can be daunting, but the success is even more rewarding when you continue to push forward and work hard.
Every year individuals from all across the United States makes the decision on whether or not they will try out for an interscholastic athletic team. These individuals hope to be part of something special, whether it’s achieving individual goals or team goals. They also understand they will need to sacrifice time, energy, and their social life in order to achieve these goals. When tryouts begin these individuals hope their skills and abilities will get them recognized by not only the coaches, but the returning players as well. A problem arises though once try outs are over and the team is announced.
Tennis From the Beginning When little baby Serena was young, she started her training at age 3 and has always loved tennis. Her family supports her so much they even play tennis. “Serena 's father used what he 'd gleaned from tennis books and videos to instruct Serena and Venus on how to play the game. At the age of 3, practicing on a court not far from the family 's new Compton, California, home, Serena withstood the rigors of daily two-hour practices from her father.”
Eating the right diet. Getting enough sleep. Maintaining your gear (shoes, racquets) Giving your all during training. Remember, unpreparedness is always the worst adversary of success.
On my first of try out practice, I was Petrified. There were these large, muscular, solidly built boys who looked like Norse Vikings. As well as the scrawny, pathetic looking kids who looked like they would fly away in the wind; like myself, all standing together. It was true that I had quite remarkable ball handling skills, but the sheer confidence and masculinity of the other kids made me doubt my abilities. We warmed up with a game of 3v3 knockout.
I started to practice at my house—it was the only hoop available for me at the time. Everyday, I would go outside and just shoot as many shots as I can so, I could make my form better. A few weeks of practicing, I started to see progress in my form—I made more shots than usual. Since I thought I was getting better, I decided to ask my parents if they could put me in a basketball team. My parents agreed without any hesitation.
Although, without sport I would have not known how active I can be. I once was lazy but, now that I found tennis in my life, I am really active, for example, practicing two hours with my team after school, I would continue my practice for another hour or so with friends. Tennis has motivated me to keep on moving, this sport has made me to be fit for my health and create a new line of friends to compete with. I take my activeness to volunteer in the Ten and under tennis and
Thoughts of failing lingered in my head as I began each drill. Once the tryouts ended, the coach gave his speech and announced that a phone call would be made within a few days to the players who made it. On the other hand, the players who didn’t make it would not receive a call.