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Tennis, why does one play the game? Is it the competitiveness in one’s self? Is it the pure love for the game? Or is it simply because of the pressure placed upon you by peers, coaches, or family?
For me, all of the above are reason. Since the age of five, my grandfather has paid for my tennis lessons at Castlewood Country Club (where I know teach lessons to juniors). Tennis has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Over the past twelve years I have not only matured in terms of my tennis game, but also in my attitude on and off the court.
My junior year of high school I was finally able to start a tennis program at my school, with the strong support of my coach, Dale Silva. At the start of the season there was so much pressure thrust upon me to win every match from not only the team, but the student body as well. People would attend my home matches and expect me to win every match and demolish my opponent. The one person who did not expect me to manhandle everyone I played was my coach. He only expected me to give one hundred percent of my effort. He always thought I could win regardless of the circumstances, but he never verbally told me he expected me to win a match.
One match during the season, my team and I were to play against our rival school, Harker. My teammates expected me to play the number one seed and win. That expectation added greatly to my anxieties. As the first set of the match began, I quickly found myself down, love-five. I then had a moment of recovery and won the next two games before losing the sixth game and the first set. At this point I began questioning why I had been playing tennis my whole life. This match was an embarrassment. Not only was I letting myself down, I felt I was letting down my grandfather, my coach, and my teammates who look up to me.
As the second set began my frustration was beginning to mount as I dropped the first four games. I began to feel as though I was wasting my teammates’ and coaches’ time. I won the next game and was down one-four. With our game score totaling an odd number, we were to switch sides. As I was about to take a drink of water, my coach called me aside for a quick word. In those short two minutes my coach told me a few words that not only gave me motivation to continue the match, but also to continue pursuing a life which involved tennis. My coach simply told me, “I believe in you, and I will stay here for your entire match. I believe in you Zack.” Those words are permanently etched into my heart.
As I jolted to my side of the court preparing to return serve, I told myself, “He believes, he does not expect.” I then went on an explosive end of the set, winning six of the next seven games, ending it seven-five. As I approached the third set I was a new person. I went on to win the third set and the match, two-six, seven-five, six-four. I accredit the victory not to myself, but to my coach.
To this day, I give credit to my coach as the reason why I continue to play tennis with the love and passion which I do. So when I am asked why I play tennis, I answer calmly, “He believes.”
-Zachary Miskel-
Copyright 2004 Zachary C.Miskel
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