The day moved by slowly. My first two tennis matches seemed to stretch on and on continuously. The sluggish pace of the ball and repeated plays were tiring. I was blanketed in a flood of the thick humid air of July. It felt like a heavy anchor of steel, dragging behind me in every movement I made. After playing tennis for about five hours straight, I trudged my way over to my teammates and collapsed on the courts completely. Unfortunately, my long awaited minute of rest was interrupted by my new coach saying I had to get back out there immediately or else let someone else play in my position. So, we flipped a coin. Tails. I was headed back out on the court.
My final match was not like the other two. I bursted with energy and stood on my toes …show more content…
We were nearing the three hour mark, with the the score tied at six to six. My bones were shaking as I made my way slowly to the bench in preparation to starting a seven point tiebreaker. I couldn’t help but stop in my tracks and look up at the vastness of a perfectly clear sky painted in gold above me. The dry, stickiness of my tongue begged for the heavenly taste of cool water. I couldn’t stop myself from drinking a whole bottle, but even afterwards I wanted more. I sat on the bench with my heartbeat racing, wondering if all of my efforts would end in victory or defeat. I looked up at my new coach helplessly looking for a word of advice, only to receive the disheartening words I would hear many more times throughout the season; “Just keep doing what you’re doing,” he would say. I tightly clenched the grip of my racquet, and angrily walked back out on the court. If I wanted to win this match, I decided, I couldn’t rely on him to help me. I couldn’t rely on anyone to help me. It was just me and the ball and nothing else. I analyzed my mistakes, and drove myself to fix them. I sprinted to each return as if my life depended on it. I aimed for her weaknesses and concentrated on staying positive by whispering the words, “I am a winner. I am a winner,” over and over again. I drowned out the roars of the opposing teams by focusing on only the clicks of my racquet hitting the ball. With a powerful swing I rushed to the net, and volleyed to the corner out of her