graphic by Nakya Castille
Ryan.
My alarm rings throughout my room and forces me to break my deep sleep. My eyes battle my mind for a few extra seconds of rest. It’s a battle that the eyes typically win. I begin brewing coffee that will soon warm me up for the day and gaze out my front window. The sun reflects off the beads of dew on each blade of grass and warms my sleepy blue eyes for the day that awaits. I smile knowing that I will spend my day teaching children of all ages the great game of tennis.
I worked at my local swim and tennis club over the summer. Every hour was a new adventure as a different group of kids would cycle through my court. These hours would come and go like minutes. Whether they loved the game of tennis or were only there because their parents wanted a scheduled hour of peace and quiet, I made sure each kid felt welcomed when they came and left with a smile on their face. I took pride in knowing that I could make a difference in each of their lives even if it was just making sure that tennis practice was the best hour of their day. Seeing the joy on their faces was currency to me and being paid was a pretty sweet bonus.
With the pandemic, the summer of 2020 was like no other, but I wanted to ensure the kids’ summer wouldn’t have that same somber feeling of isolation and sadness that I had been experiencing. I knew the kids needed a social event that they could get excited to attend twice a week, so I created a unique and personalized bond with each child I coached. I asked them about their weekends, trips they had planned, their favorite activities, and so much more. Each new day, their excitement grew, their smiles broadened, and laughs could be heard across the entire club. Without even realizing it, my excitement also grew with every lesson. I was ecstatic to teach these kids the fundamentals of the game of tennis and also how to find happiness in a time of great sorrow and uncertainty. Working with these kids gave me something to look forward to and allowed me to power through my own feelings of anxiety about the future of our world. It was an opportunity to be a role model to the youth in my neighborhood and provide them with the chance to succeed both off and on the court. I realized that becoming a better coach and person meant getting to know these kids and letting them teach me as much as I was teaching them.
As the season came to a close, we had a joyous last day filled with the kids’ favorite games along with popsicles and donuts. We maintained our social distance, but still gave plenty of air hugs and air high-fives. After my shift had ended and the kids left the club, my boss pulled me aside and relayed an email a parent had sent to him. The parent said her daughter was scared to come to tennis at the start of the season, but after a couple of sessions, her nervousness turned into anticipation and tennis practice became her favorite part of the week. In fact, by midsummer she asked her parents to invite me on their family trip to the mountains. It was then that I knew that my mission was fulfilled. I gave this girl and so many others an opportunity to be kids again. To remember what it was like to have “normal” summer fun in a time where that was so rare to come by. As I reflect back on my time spent coaching, I realize that it was a huge part in making my summer feel somewhat “normal” too.
