During a recent ATA parent meeting, I observed eager young parents taking in all that they could, and it reminded me of the beginnings of my ATA journey… and little did I know.

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I sat next to a tennis mom in the bleachers watching a UT match where her son and my son were on court together as ball boys.  She told me her son was a SuperChamp player at ATA.  I did not grow up in the USTA Texas junior system, and I had no idea what she meant by that.  The next month, my son played a SuperChamp player at the Texas Open.  It was a tough match.  At the time, I had no idea that my son was the underdog and the result was an upset.  The opponent and his mother left the Texas Open immediately after the match so that he could arrive in time to a National tournament in another state.  I thought to myself, ”Seriously… you’re going to drive 9 hours to a tennis tournament?”

Little did I know then what the next few years of life would become as we merged into the world of USTA Texas tennis. And little did I know then, that the next year, I would be driving my son, and the rest of an ATA team, to a national tournament in another state… 9 hours away.

Josh was 12 years old when we came to ATA.  Coach Notis invited him to train at a summer camp before the Grand Slam and then to travel with the team to College Station for the tournament. After the first day of training, Josh came home with stars in his eyes… “Mom, this is the place I want to be… everyone here wants to be great!”  After spending the past 6 months at the neighborhood country club where kids were forced on court by overbearing parents, and who acted out and bullied other players, or spoke disrespectfully to the coaches, I was excited by the possibility of Josh being surrounded by excellence and respectful behaviors.

I traveled to College Station that year and attended the evening ‘team meeting’.  20 something players crammed into a small hotel room where Coach Newman gave one of his infamous and inspirational speeches to an excited and nervous group of athletes. They were wedged into every seat and open space on the floor and bed.  I listened intently to the words he spoke.  I was skeptical of this attitude and process that drove the notion of no holds barred competition into my son’s ears.  But I was intrigued.

Josh played well at sectionals. He brought home the doubles championship trophy and ATA became his home court.

Our weekends became blurs of tournaments.  Church was replaced with another kind of worship – one that demanded time, effort, energy, and the pursuit of excellence on a court of concrete.  Although the language was different, the lessons of character were similar.  As Josh became immersed in the game, I listened to hours of his statistical analysis of professional players’ win loss ratios and whether or not the last shot was the most advantageous choice based on the player’s attributes.  I listened to hours of a Nerf tennis ball hitting the wall in our foyer.  And I watched Josh dance around the house shadowing forehands and performing ‘air’ backhands.  This was a daily practice.

Looking back on the sweet beginnings of Josh’s 6 year process of ATA development, there have been many ups and downs.  But just as with a well-researched and implemented investment, as time passes, the highs and lows eventually create an upward moving curve, gaining momentum and compounding value.  Short term results were not always what were expected… a broken wrist, a cracked growth plate, missing the draw by 1 spot, a stomach virus before the finals, dehydration, team tennis, the International Hall of Fame, a rolled ankle, traveling 800 miles to Nationals as the 1st alternate only to be skipped over due to an administrative error, Zonals, Excellence, ITF’s, college recruiting, tears over losses, joy over wins… and great lessons learned with all.

Josh has worked and continues to work forward.  He has been motivated by older and more experienced players.  He has been trained by some of the most amazing coaches and trainers.  He studies the game.  He studies himself.  And he has rubbed up against quality people of innate integrity and enormous generosity.  He has traveled the globe.  And along the journey, he has learned not only how and why he hits that little yellow ball, but also how and why that little yellow ball has guided him into himself.

If you choose to embark on the journey of tennis at ATA, you will find that it is truly about living the sport.  It is about moving through the levels of play as you move through the levels of self-actualization.  The opportunity is here.  The supporting staff is here.  The facilities are here. The expertise is here. Why you are here and how you show up here is up to you.

Josh’s process has been evident through his power and passion for the game and for his life.  The less apparent process has been my own.  In growing along with my son in this process, I have had the opportunity to practice patience, breathe, have faith in the process, and embrace humility at every turn.

Just as we ask our children to take advantage of all that is before them, so too, can we, as parents, learn from the amazing people and opportunities offered here, by embracing the process, and Living the Sport at the Austin Tennis Academy.

Looking forward! ~Carol