LO 1: Identify their own strengths and develop areas for growth

During season one of the athletic season, I tried out for tennis pre-season. I had been on the (division winning) team last year, won all my matches, and was awarded athlete’s award and MVP at the sports awards, meaning I was fairly confident going in. However, during the first tryout, I did not play well at all. This led me to reflect on how I played the previous season, as I tried to get that game back. The second tryout was a lot more successful, and I made it into pre-season. During the entirety of pre-season, I was focused on bringing back my old game and improving my consistency, which is what I relied on heavily the previous season. This was mostly successful, and I remember having some terrific sessions and matches. Then, it was time for tryouts for the actual team. Yet again, the first tryout went terribly, and I remember the coach saying to me, “You didn’t miss a single shot last season. What happened?” I was determined to improve, and after training three days in a row, I returned for the second tryout and played much better. This time, I remember the coach exclaiming, “Tanuj is back!” when I hit a backhand slice winner. This shows that tennis, and most sport in general, is just as much about mental reflection as it is about physical performance.