Most people know that I am pretty involved at school. I am always running from meetings to practices and even rehearsals. But many people do not know that I actually have passions outside of school. Tennis has been a big part of my life ever since I was little. I picked up a racket when I was nine and nothing was ever the same. I have been playing for about eight years and I absolutely love it. This summer, however, I added an extra layer to my passion for tennis. I started coaching. My coaches had always played a huge role in my life and have served as role models for me. It has been incredibly rewarding to be able to become that role model for my students. As I said, I started working this summer. I was hired as a junior tennis assistant at the Wellington Tennis Center. Going into this job I really didn’t expect much. For me, it was a way to make some money and get out of the house after the long months of quarantine. Little did I know that the tennis center would soon become my second home. I will be honest and tell you that the first few weeks were a little rough. I have never been great with kids so getting them to

listen and behave while also making sure they were having fun was a challenge for me. With time and help from my fellow coaches, I was able to develop my coaching skills and these problems are now small for me. The kids have begun to love me, and I have begun to develop relationships with my students. This is really special to me because this has given me a big responsibility. I know how impactful coaches can be because of my own experience, and I want to be that for my students. I want to leave a positive impact on their lives. I believe that I have begun to do just that. Of course, I have taught them how to better their tennis skills, what their grip should be, their footwork, and how to swing, but I have taught them more than just this. Sports take discipline, and I have taught my students that. I show them the discipline the sport requires and hope that this shapes them into good young boys and girls. The last thing I hope that I have shared with them is my love for the game. I do my best for my enthusiasm for playing to get to the children. Thus far, I have been pretty successful.

Not only have I developed relationships with my students, but I have also developed relationships with my coworkers. When I started working, I thought I would simply have a professional relationship with my coworkers. I was quite wrong about that. They have become some of my best friends and we have made so many memories at work that I will never forget. They make work interesting and entertaining. There is never a dull moment with them. We all make each other better and challenge each other both with work and with our tennis game.

My job at the tennis center has truly changed my life and has become one of my biggest passions. The relationships and lessons I have learned there I will carry with me for the rest of my life.