Boys Tennis

I’m writing from the comfort of my home, where I don’t think I’ll be leaving very often for a while. Like many of my peers, I was looking forward to seeing my friends back at school. 

More importantly, I was looking forward to my third year of an incredible activity with a tennis team I will never forget, cut short because of COVID-19. Tennis plays an integral role in my life. Besides getting me incredibly ripped, tennis provides me with an outlet to release my pent up energy, all while enjoying it with the comfort of my teammates. But this wasn’t just any team – this was a second family. The Coronavirus took away the highlight of my year, leaving me disappointed with the thought of missing the experiences that made this sport so enjoyable.

There was something special about this year that made every day of tryouts and practice worth attending. Sure, the adrenaline of competition was exciting, but the personalities and energy of my teammates was even more invigorating. There wasn’t a single person who didn’t want to be there and each day of practice was full of supporting each other with the classic “Let’s go ‘skies.” Even on days where the weather wasn’t great and we were stuck conditioning inside, no one would be able to tell the difference in the team’s collective energy. Every person there was motivated and invested in helping our team accomplish greatness. 

My heart especially goes out to our seniors who will miss their chance to experience traditions like Senior Night – their leadership as role models for younger tennis players will be missed as they begin a new chapter in their lives. If tennis has taught me anything, it is that we must rally (pun definitely intended) through these times of uncertainty. I am confident that I will always have a community of people to reach out to, regardless of the situation. 

In all, I’m immensely proud of our team because I know that our players put hours of work in and there was a unique team culture of brotherhood, with each of us invested in winning at every possible opportunity. It is frustrating to have our season cut so suddenly, but we understand that there is a safety concern much larger than us. Rest assured, we will be back and better than ever next year.