There have been a lot of comments made about our state tournament shirts this year. The image is how it looked on the back of tournament shirts, and, in case you didn't get a chance to read it and were interested, the writing is below. Enjoy tennis fans!
I play tennis…
I don’t play indoors in the air conditioning. I play with the sun in my eyes and the wind in my face. If I can’t take the heat or stand up to the conditions, I lose. I will never be taken out of the game. I have no strikes, fouls, balls, flags, or substitutions. If I mess up, I lose. If I get hurt, I have three minutes to get treated and get back in the game. If I’m bleeding, I have fifteen minutes to make it stop and start playing again, or I lose. I am never safe. There are no end zones, no goals, and no bases. I have to outplay, outsmart, and outlast my opponent. I don’t have a strike zone, and I can never pass the ball or the blame. I have to be prepared to cover anywhere within twenty six feet to return a serve within fractions of a second and I can’t hit the ball out, or I lose. I then have to be prepared for the ball to come back anywhere within 1,053 square feet, and if I don’t make it, if I don’t hit the shot in once again, I lose. I may have to do this repeatedly just to earn one point. I don’t get credit for all the points I win. I have to play at least four points just to get on the score board, and four won’t be enough if my opponent wins any. I have to earn two more points than my opponent to claim the game. I have to earn at least six games, at least twice, to walk away with a win. There are no game clocks, no time limits, no off season. I play until someone wins or can’t continue. I play tennis. What do you do?
Written by Jessica Olson
Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach
Pearl River Community College
