As a coach, there is no greater feeling than watching one of your players compete.
I don't just mean go out there and play a match in a tournament, I mean really compete. Last Sunday, a young girl who I have been coaching since 2010 competed her butt off. To me, tennis is boxing with rackets. The opponent is trying to knock you on your back and you have to stand up to them, go toe to toe and not back down. Playing a girl she had lost badly to a few weeks before, my girl played a great first set and a half before getting the wobbles. The last half of the second set wasn't pretty but this is when she showed everyone watching what a competitor she is. It's easy to play when you're out there walking on water. At 4-4, 5-5 and 6-6, she was as far away from walking on water as possible. She was going on guts and determination.
She played a great tie-break and at the end of it she was the Tirolian Masters champion for her age-group.
Tennis is a great measure of one's character. She was out for 6 months at the end of 2011 with shoulder and ankle injuries. She has worked her tail off and has now gotten some reward for it.
For me, seeing her go out there in a pressure situation, stay composed and not back down ... well, it was one of my proudest moments as a coach.
Congrats Andrea O on a truly gutsy performance.
Time for your Petko dance!!!
I don't just mean go out there and play a match in a tournament, I mean really compete. Last Sunday, a young girl who I have been coaching since 2010 competed her butt off. To me, tennis is boxing with rackets. The opponent is trying to knock you on your back and you have to stand up to them, go toe to toe and not back down. Playing a girl she had lost badly to a few weeks before, my girl played a great first set and a half before getting the wobbles. The last half of the second set wasn't pretty but this is when she showed everyone watching what a competitor she is. It's easy to play when you're out there walking on water. At 4-4, 5-5 and 6-6, she was as far away from walking on water as possible. She was going on guts and determination.
She played a great tie-break and at the end of it she was the Tirolian Masters champion for her age-group.
Tennis is a great measure of one's character. She was out for 6 months at the end of 2011 with shoulder and ankle injuries. She has worked her tail off and has now gotten some reward for it.
For me, seeing her go out there in a pressure situation, stay composed and not back down ... well, it was one of my proudest moments as a coach.
Congrats Andrea O on a truly gutsy performance.
Time for your Petko dance!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment