Smith Tennis-Finished Strong This Spring!

What is your philosophy about competition?  What is the Smith Tennis Team philosophy?  Is being part of a college tennis team all about winning or are there other, more important, factors?  Certainly winning is a nice product and winning says "success"  but this year's team might say that cohesiveness is one of the most important factors and getting there is not by chance.  Growing closer and stronger often comes through trials and challenges.  Meaningful experiences often are born out of hard work and sacrifice.  No one wants to hear that the experience of growth is from hardship but that is often the case.  The Smith Tennis Team grew closer and stronger through their hard work in overcoming adversity, encouraging one another and trying to always find the positive.

They rated themselves, for the most part, on their quality of play and the effort they put into the competition rather than the result.  Did the team win the conference or the Seven Sisters' Championship.  No.  They were not close to the top this year but that did not seem to deter their efforts or dampen their spirits.  What the team did achieve is almost beyond words.  They became unified, focused, supportive, inclusive and determined and they laid the ground work for a fall that will build on that strong foundation.  Check out these photos and see what you think.

The seniors will be missed but their positive influence will be felt as the newcomers are welcomed in less than two months.
The returning players are committed to share the life lessons learned this past year and to relay those lessons to the newcomers.  It was, no doubt, hard work but it certainly seemed to pay off in the end.

Samantha Peikes will captain the team in the fall and she will be joined by a second captain mid-fall.  It is predicted Sam will take the court with her "no nonsense" approach to the game and her sheer love of tennis.  Sam is a true student of the game.  Her leadership is contagious and Sam will be sure to have a following of teammates committed to the same mind set.  What will be next will be the result of this philosophy and the prediction is success of the most important kind.  Best wishes to Smith Tennis this summer and look to great accomplishments this fall!