My son’s high school team is playing in the Georgia State Semifinals today. If they win, they will take a short break then play the Finals. It’s a Big Day for these boys, one they’ve been working toward since mid-January . . . but really since the time they each picked up a racquet and hit that first fuzzy yellow ball.
As I’ve talked about in previous posts (see “We” Won), the idea of TEAM is kind of a strange one in a sport that truly focuses on individual effort, individual training, individual competition. But, I feel very strongly that the lessons my son is learning through team participation will help him become not only a better tennis player but also a better human being. As Janis Meredith so beautifully put it in her JBMThinks blog, there are 5 characteristics of a strong team player:
1. Recognizing and accepting differences
2. Knowing how to play to his strengths
3. Fighting for a common cause
4. Laughing with his teammates
5. Having his teammates’ backs
These are the characteristics that I love seeing in my son. These are the characteristics that I hope he continues to develop and take into adulthood. These are the characteristics that I hope he passes along to his own children some day.
Good luck, Raiders, and good luck to all the other team players out there!
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