After three years, I am sad to say that my time as a Varsity Tennis player has come to an end. I have learned so much during my experience on this team, and I will never forget the memories I have made, the lessons I have taken away, and the people I have met.

Being a Varsity Tennis player has taught me so much over my three years of playing. It taught me what commitment means, and how to be part of a team. I had to work closely with people who at first I had never met, which is a great thing to experience because it is something that I will carry with me beyond high school. There will always be a time where I am required to work with others, whether it is in school or a work environment, and I am now more confident than ever in my ability to do so.  

I learned that if you want to be good at something you need to put in the time and effort because nothing is handed to you. I would not have reached the skill level that I am at today if I did not put in the practice and dedication to tennis that I did throughout my three years of playing. I learned how to set goals for myself, and those goals motivated me to work hard to achieve them and to always improve my skills. I loved seeing how I improved in my playing every year, and the more matches I won the more confident I became in my abilities. Tennis gave me a newfound love for fitness, which was never a huge priority for me, but has become something that I really enjoy and will continue to work on even now that my sports career is over. 

Tennis taught me valuable lessons in leadership. I was the sole captain of the team for two years and it was my goal to be a strong leader who could motivate and inspire my teammates every day on the courts. I wanted to see them succeed, and made sure they knew that I was their biggest supporter. Whether the team won or lost, I was always proud of the hard work everyone put in.

Being a member of the Varsity Tennis team made me feel connected to the school and gave me a greater sense of school pride, and I loved seeing my fellow teammates around school wearing our matching tennis hoodies. Tennis allowed me to meet peers who I never would have had the opportunity to meet before, and the greatest takeaway that it has given me is the family I made on the team. These are now people who I consider some of my closest friends in school, and I am forever grateful for tennis for giving me these bonds. 

One of the saddest parts about graduating will definitely be knowing that I will not get to return to the team that I have grown so close with. However, I will cherish the memories that I made and will carry the lessons I have learned as a Varsity Tennis player well beyond high school. I am excited to see how the team grows and improves, and I wish my teammates luck in future seasons!