My USTA Story (as published in USTA Newsletter-May)

As a twelve-year-old, I began a love story with tennis through a black and white TV screen decades ago. The one and only Chris Everett, captivated me like no other athlete. Despite my scrawny appearance and lack of opportunity to learn to play tennis on a rural farm, I could see myself on a court, like Chris. Yet in reality, walking onto a court was as far away as the pros at the U.S. Open.
After a couple of years of longing for that opportunity, the landscape of my life shifted to a subdivision in lovely Winona Lake, Indiana. I had been sent to live with relatives at the passing of my father, leaving me empty and alone.
Turned out, my new home had a close-knit tennis community where I could learn from the high school tennis coach and join the team. I picked out my first Dunlop racquet and stepped onto a real court where I passed that infatuation stage and plunged into the thrill of developing skill and strategy. I could play for hours and often did while traveling with the team and forming bonds with the people around me who loved the sport too. Without realizing it, I began to discover myself in the midst of trauma and grew into a healthier young woman during those years.
College, career, family, and living for my children pulled me from those days on the court when I could simply feel free. In time, life turned again from all the responsibilities. As is often the case with first loves, I sensed that pull more strongly than ever a couple of years ago. Tennis tugged at my heart until I finally stepped into my local tennis facility for an interest meeting.
All my insecurities flooded back, like my move away from home all those years ago, I sat alone. Yet, little by little, I felt the encouragement of people like me. Tennis lovers. The acceptance and encouragement of all skill levels reminded me once again of the threads of friendship that connect a team, a group of players cheering one another on at the greatest sport of all. I am once again thrilled to join my tennis friends in practice and competition where I am repeating the same pattern of discovering myself at such a different stage of life. I’ll be introducing my tennis love to my grandson this summer, bringing the love affair full circle.

I encourage you to pick up a sport today that you once longed to play. It could be just what you need for this season in your life.