A Hero Like No Other

“A man’s dedication is tested when he has nothing. His loyalty is tested when he has everything. His character is defined by what he learns while on the journey.” These words represent a man who has encountered many ups and downs. But, I recognize him as a man who has a great deal of dedication to me and all his students.  He is willing to miss important things just for little me. He is far from a normal tennis coach. He has mastered the craft of tennis and is able to relate losses and wins to daily life lessons. My hero is someone who doesn’t make news headlines, or has prodigious super powers; rather, he is a man who exemplifies faith, has an immense amount of loyalty, and has dedication like no other.

    One trait my tennis coach possesses is his undying faith. He is always considering there is room for a possible miracle {with the graceful hand of God}.  For example, on days when I don’t believe in myself, or feel I’m not qualified enough, he tells me: “You have overcome giants.” He even teaches me not to worry about results; but rather, getting better instead {that proves he has a strong belief  in me}. When I tell him my goals of being a collegiate player he says, “you could be a professional tennis player, if you put your mind to it.” He has the greatest faith in me. Another example of his faith was at his wife's funeral. He described when the odds were against him and his wife they believed they could get through anything if they had each other. Lastly, when you see and talk to him, you can’t tell what he has been through with his wife. For instance, he never talks about himself or his circumstances. I have never heard him say how hard things were or ask why me?. These reasons exemplify how my coach demonstrates faith.

Second, he illustrates loyalty. For example, he always finds time to give me a lesson, even when other things are more important. Not to mention, if he ever had to cancel, he always found another time for me as soon as possible.  Next, his wife battled cancer for over 30 years, and never have I ever heard him complain about him having to be at the hospital or being tired of dealing with sickness. {He doesn’t work like that though}, he perseveres and knows that giving up on himself and his wife was not an option. He embodies the word of a fighter. Lastly, he makes  students priority. In addition, on days when there are no lessons or clinics he provides extra clinics with my peers for free. {Not to say this is during his free time away from us}. My coach embodies the word of loyalty every day.

Third, he shows a great deal of dedication. First, when I’m at tournaments, he will drive many hours to watch me, for nothing in return. This shows he is dedicated to helping me become the best player I can be, and he believes in me. Even if I have a mediocre day on the courts, he talks to me about what I did well. He doesn’t ever regret coming and watching because he knows he will come away with new ways of teaching me. Likewise, he’s always eager to guide me on the court. For example, he is always showing me new ways to advance in my craft, whether it’s new drills, mental tricks, or select the tournaments I play. He shows me many inspirational quotes that help me become as dedicated as him. An example is “Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle.” This quote speaks volumes about my coach.  Lastly, he is extremely dedicated to his family. For example, I remember a time he received a phone call about his dad becoming suddenly ill, and he bolted right out of the tennis center like a cheetah chasing after his prey. I admire this because it teaches me that family comes before everything. Not being there for his family and friends is not an option for my hero.

My hero has a  high level of faith, will never leave anyone’s side because of his great deal of loyalty, and his dedication to things that matter the most to him. My hero is way more than a “Tennis coach,” but rather, a second dad. When I see the way he mentors me and other players, it teaches me how I should act. Thank you for being my hero...you don’t know how much you mean to me.