Personal Narrative: The Edwardsville Tennis Program

The start of my freshman year was a thrilling experience for me. To start out my freshman year I made the schools Varsity soccer team, a huge accomplishment for me. However, I was naïve to the coming situation to myself. I was on the path to continuous harassment from teammates as I was surrounded by seniors. Many of the seniors had egos, full of themselves in every aspect possible. It was a rude awakening to the reality of high school to be apart of this team as a freshman. In retrospect, I believe that my transition into high school would have been smoother if I would’ve asked to be on the Junior varsity. Although this would have hindered my growth as a player, it’s a sacrifice I realize now that would have been worth it.

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. This defeat would be one of the reasons that led the Creekside tennis team placing outside of the top three at the county tournament.

Today is the second game of the, 2014 baseball state tournament, held in Wahpeton ND. My team and I are so pumped! We get to play our rivals, Fargo. We only hate them, because we play them so much. We drove down to Wahpeton in groups within our team. It only took about a 45 minute drive. Once we got to the field, I opened up the car door, and took a huge deep breath saying to myself, what another great day. I got out of the car and could start to smell hot dogs and humidity.

It was in fourth grade when I started playing golf frequently. I would always run off into my backyard, drop my ball in the giant divot I usually play from, and start hitting the ball towards my golf flag. It was just a hobby at the time. I wasn’t super serious about trying to go to tournaments, nor was I trying to become like Tiger Woods. I just wanted to play the game. As fifth grade came along, I learned that there was a high school golf team. I never really set goals in my life at the time, but it had finally came to the point where I set one: to make the golf team when I enter high school.

For my Diverse Field Experience this semester, I spent fifteen hours at the Mclean County Juvenile Detention Center. This particular center was occupied by about 8-14 juveniles at a time, all depending on court dates and occupancy of other nearby detention centers. This center usually had 3 staff members working the shift every time I went, which was seven to nine on weekday afternoons. I was intrigued to go to at this time because I thought it would be the time of the day were the juveniles had no school work or other obligations to do while I was there. I wanted to see what they liked to do in the free time before bed, the only stipulation being mandatory snack time at eight pm. I have seen plenty of students in a classroom environment during my clinicals here at

The buzzer going off, the crowd cheering, for the first time in school history, Trinty Clinton Township are state chapions.

A team in Concord, Calif., has had a win streak of 151 games. North Atlanta High School 's team can barely pull off three wins this season. The Spartans have had plenty of perfect seasons. North Atlanta closest time ever in the school’s history was to getting a perfect season was going 7-3 in 2010.The team from California doesn 't know the meaning of defeat.North Atlanta barely knows the feeling of winning.

One day I woke up and got ready for school then I remembered it was the baseball tournament. So I grabbed my bat and glove and went to school.

We have all encountered some degree of failure in our lives, some worse than others. No one is or ever will be a perfect human being. Failure is certain in our lives among all questionable events. Times of failures are events we can learn from even in the smallest ways. Whether it be a failing grade, not making a sports team, or not winning a game, there is always a lesson to be learned. These lessons help in preparation of the future.

I have been going to Randolph Gymnastic Academy for almost a year. When I found out that we needed a mentor and we needed to spend up to 8 hours or more with them on our project. I decided that I needed to get started as soon as possible because I wouldn't have improved as much as I wanted in only eight hours. I started a month after we started writing our junior papers. Going there has improved my balance and agility. Deciding to go as soon a possible was a really good idea for me because I usually wait until the last minute. I feel like i'm a little ahead of my initial plan. It was originally for a standing and a roundoff back handspring but those are not the only skill I have gained, I have an aerial and i'm learning more. What I have learned

Golf is a game that can be played throughout life as it teaches us life skills and values that will prepare us for what life brings our way. Golf is often said to be a sport that relates to life. In the game of golf the players navigate the hilly, uneven terrain with the sole aim to reach the goal— is to PUTT the ball . Golf teaches the player many a life lessons. The game instils honesty, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, perseverance, courtesy and concentration.

Tweet! Tweet! Tweet! The referee’s whistle blew as the game ended. One Friday afternoon this summer me, my sister Jadyn, my Dad, my Mom, my teammate Luke, and Luke’s dad Mr. Vogelaar arrived in Novi, Detroit finally after what seemed like twenty hours of driving. I had a soccer tournament called the Wolves Hawks Tournament.

“Mitchell! It’s time!” my mom shouted from down the stairs. Nearly in tears, I sluggishly sauntered down the stairs, stalling with every step I took. Loathing this walk toward the kitchen table, I would rather be absolutely anywhere else in the world than sitting at the kitchen table doing this. After pulling the chair out from the table, I finally took a seat. The placemat was already positioned on the table along with all of the necessary equipment. “Mom, I don’t need this,” I tried convincing her, however, the pain in my leg knew that was a lie. Although I knew all of this worry would be behind me in just a few minutes, the sight of the syringe and tourniquet were making me sick to my stomach. Furthermore, all of my focus was on the frightening needle as it rested in my mom’s trusting hand.

In the spring of 2005 I was 5 years old. My dad was explaining to me that we were going to go golf with some of his friends. I didn't want to go but he said I had to meet some his friends because they wanted to meet me so I went. When we got to his friend's house. I was kind of nervous because I have never meet these people. When I meet them I wasn't nervous anymore.

Most of us find it difficult to figure out what is our talent. My talent is playing tennis. Once I joined the famous sport called tennis, it shape me to be more responsible, extremely active, and furthermore have respect win or lose.