Where it all began..In tennis

The sound of grunts and groans as the players ran back and forth, the smell of the brand new tennis balls as the umpire popped them open, the feel of the ice cold bench against my back, pumped adrenaline through my body as I watched the tennis match in suspense. At six year old, my first Fighting Illini tennis match was in progress, and I could not keep my eyes off the tennis court. From that day forward, I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life: play tennis everyday and go to school at the University of Illinois. As I moved away from Champaign to the small town of Mattoon, I was told my dreams were too big for such a small guy. This only made me work harder and by my sophomore year of high school, I was the captain of my tennis team.
Since that very first match, I have played in many, but one ranks far above the rest. During my freshman year, I was asked to move up from my number three doubles spot, to number two doubles. As scared as I was, I knew I had to step up and play the game. I started off shaky, but by the end of the match, I could not miss a shot. I won my very first varsity match and received the game ball. From then on, there was no looking back.
Now that I have matured through academic and tennis experiences, I am ready to meet the challenges of what awaits me next. Some may say that you never really know what you want to do with your life until it’s too late, but they must not have ever been to a Fighting Illini tennis match.