Days like today are what make coaching so enjoyable and heart wrenching all at the same time. Today was senior day as four of the guys played their last match at our home facility. They will all be written about later. We battled hard against another top ten team but came out on the losing end. Joy and grief within a four-hour time span. To ease the sadness of moving on without four great guys and losing another heartbreaking match I will write about a current player making his way through college and figuring out who he is.
Trace Collins is the true meaning of a walk on. He came to FSC after visiting and being told he would have an opportunity to be on the team. He came with an intensity and desire that was worthy of the top players. He trains at an academy in Colorado where he has honed his game under the tutelage of the coaches he has surrounded himself with while training there. His first year was fraught with learning curves. He spent time suspended for grades, as the standards to remain and active member are higher on the team than NCAA standards. He also got beat down anytime he stepped on the court. For the average person, this would-be reason enough to just quit, transfer, or many other alternatives that he didn’t choose. He got his grades back in order and starting in the spring of his freshman year became an active member of the men’s team. The difference between Trace and the rest of the team is that he needed no one to practice with in order to have a great day holding his racket. He would go out and work on his serve, spend hours hitting on the old courts wall, or put himself through countless footwork drills. He did this because he loves the game of tennis and what it means to his life. Playing time on the varsity team did not happen during his freshman year but he continued to train like the next day would be his opportunity to shine.
During the summer, Trace decided to change his major, another big step in his growth, and came back in the fall with the same desire he had the previous season. He continued his private practice and began battling for his spot on the team. Although the varsity team was not yet in reach, Trace became an integral part of the JV team which we are fortunate to have at FSC. Because of the JV team Trace has some opportunities to compete which is what all competitive athletes need. His desire to play tennis is a weird thing to me. I haven’t figured out if he wants to play to get better or just because he loves the sport. I sometimes think he loves the idea of being an athlete with a plan. This spring Trace has gotten to play a few competitive events and continues to grind towards his goals. These goals are personal and I have no knowledge of what they may be as he keeps them close to his vest. All his trainings go into his notebook that he journals in-depth after each session.
One of Trace’s biggest opponents has recently been destroyed. If you ever wondered where he might be you could always walk out back of the gym and potentially see him hitting on the big green wall which used to house four of the old varsity courts. Progress has come and the old courts have been demolished. This wall gave Trace many hours of relentless practice and probably some mind clearing therapy. I’ve pondered for a couple of weeks now where Trace will go for his one on one therapy now that his most consistent partner has been taken away. This will be another growth lesson that he must go through while making his way through FSC. I am not sure where Trace will end up on the team or where he will go as he gets closer to graduation but I do know that in his mind he has a plan for his tennis and his life.
My job is awesome because each of the players that passes through the gates is an enigma wrapped in a riddle that I get to try and figure out. Sometimes with Trace I feel like I am missing some of the pieces and that is why I like the kid.
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