Ever since I was young, my family instilled in me the importance of working hard for the outcomes you desire in life. Growing up around my parent’s high school tennis team in Camanche, Iowa, my eyes were opened to a whole new world. Until now, I never thought family and sports could intertwine in this way. Now that I’m going into my junior year as a member of the St. Ambrose Women’s Tennis Team, I understand the importance of that more than ever. Being a part of a college athletic team is more than just a scholarship earned; you recieve a second family that you’ll cherish for the rest of your life.
Although there are many benefits to being on a collegiate team, every student athlete can attest to the fact that their schedules are borderline chaotic during the school year.  With grueling, hot practices, late-night study sessions and long bus rides with teammates, what makes it all worth it? According to my fellow bees out on the tennis court, it’s about the relationships we gain through a sport we all love.
Samantha Carr, a junior and Exercise Science major, says that being part of the tennis team has helped her gain a new understanding of what it means to be part of a team and has granted her life lessons on and off the court. “By being on a team I will be able to work with others in my future career with no problem,” Carr said. “Another thing I have learned from being on the tennis team is the value of good sportsmanship. We get a chance to compete against very nice people, and some not so nice people; this has taught me to treat others with respect as well as give out credit where credit is due. My college experience has changed in a good way by being on the tennis team.”
“I’ve gained more than a group of friends, I’ve gained a support system,” Carr said. “We have become more than a group of girls playing a game, we come together as family and I know I will treasure these years after I graduate. It is a privilege to be on the tennis team, and I can’t imagine what my college years would be like if I hadn’t played.”
Mary Alice Oswalt, a junior with an Exercise Science, Pre-PT major, says that without tennis, she wouldn’t have the ability or patience to go about school because being part of a team is an outlet from the stressors surrounding her.
“Not only do I get to play a sport I enjoy, but I get to play it with some of the most fun group of people, people I would consider close friends,” Oswalt said. “Being on a team with only a few girls has given me the opportunity to develop a relationship with each one of them. Part of college involves stepping out of your comfort zone and forming new relationships with people, and tennis was the perfect way for me to accomplish that. On the court, I allow myself to forget about my worries of school work and instead play a game I love with friends that I truly cherish.”
Alex Horton, a sophomore with a Business Management and Marketing major, says that the scholarship she received determined where she could attend college.  Rich Blomgren’s coaching style and the chemistry between the team members is what really sealed the deal for her to come to Ambrose.
“I was able to make friends right away,” Horton said. “Team bonding, like going out to dinner after practice or hanging out in hotel rooms on away trips is the best. Being part of a team also helps me keep organized when I’m balancing school work and practice. What makes it all most enjoyable for me is the group of girls we have on the team. We get along really well and we support each other during games and practices, which I think is key.”
Sarah Wurster, a junior and Forensic Psychology major, says that she has formed a family through being a part of an Ambrose team.
“It is the one thing every day that serves as a release from all the stress of school work,” Wurster said. “During practice all my worries disappear and it’s just me, my teammates, and the game.”
The benefits of playing sports in college stretch far beyond the confines of an athletic center. The life lessons, level of responsibility, skills learned and connections made are proof that student-athletes are getting the very most out of their college experiences. Some of my fondest memories are those that were made with my teammates. For us, tennis is a lifetime sport and so are the friendships we develop along the way.
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*All pictures provided by the author’s personal albums*