In tennis, love means nothing. Until recently, I was sure that practice, hard work and perseverance meant nothing either.

Trapped in the mentality of a miffed, hormone-raged teenage girl, I was speechless when the coach decided to expand the team to fit the number of players trying out this year and forgo the harsh cuts of the last tennis season. That's right, I was an angry girl, swinging a tennis racquet.

As much as I would like to deny it, I owe this very Charlie Brown-esque situation an inadvertent thank you. After I was one of the numerous players cut last year, I signed up for tennis clinics and matches at two clubs and spent nine hours a week to improve my tennis fundamentals and become competition savvy.

On tryout day, I could almost hear the cue to laugh, as if I had been transported into a cruel sitcom as the coach announced she was taking in all girls this year without cutting anyone. I didn't know if I wanted to rip out my racquet strings or scream "Hallelujah!"

I had made the team! Why, then, couldn't I ignore the swishing sound of my hard work plummeting down the drain? But, the initial shock wore off and I reluctantly realized there was a lesson to be learned, courtesy of my father. What did I actually lose? Nothing really. I had made the team. What did I gain? I became a better player, maintained a healthy workout and met a lot of dedicated athletes in the process. More importantly, I had almost forgotten an imperative aspect of sports: sportsmanship.

Advertisement
In this day and age, when parents are in constant combat with referees, coaches and even their own children, the idea of good sportsmanship is often pushed aside. We forget that winning a game is a great experience, but the genuine winners are those who persevere and behave with dignity.

Looking back, my favorite tennis trophy is my first (and biggest): one for sportsmanship.

But, I'm only human. Just because I realize the lesson doesn't mean I have to acknowledge it this second. Right now, I'm happy to brood and look forward to playing with my teammates.

Rebecca Zhu is a sophomore at Weston High School and a member of CTTeens. You may reach her at ctteens@ctpost.com.