Winning the 2019 Big West Championship as part of the Long Beach State team gave me a lesson that individual rankings cannot capture. Tennis is played point by point, but a team season asks you to care about more than your own court. That shift in perspective stayed with me.
Your court is not the whole team
On a college team, each match contributes to a larger effort. Your responsibility is to prepare for the contest in front of you while staying connected to what teammates are doing around you. Support is not a distraction from competing; it is part of being a teammate.
Preparation travels with you
When a match feels important, it is tempting to treat the occasion as something entirely different from normal competition. I found it more useful to return to the basics: prepare carefully, focus on the next point, and respond to what is happening on court. You cannot control a team outcome alone, but you can control your effort and attention.
Keep the lesson after match day
A championship is a result; the habits and relationships behind it are what players can carry forward. For juniors, team tennis is a chance to practice competing for yourself while showing up for others. The score matters, but so does the way you contribute when the pressure is on.
I’m proud to have been part of Long Beach State’s 2019 Big West champion team. When you look back on a big match, remember to ask not only whether you won, but what your preparation and presence gave the team.