As you know, the Tennis Scholarships are for SCHS seniors who want to further their education. The four Scholarship winners, who won $5,000 each, wrote essays about how tennis influenced them while playing at Silver Creek High School. There thoughts and ideas are much akin to ours as adults. Below are some excerpts:
Siddharth noted that “As a freshman I came to The Villages, which was a big inspiration for me as I learned that tennis is a game that requires you to adapt and play your own game… the older players always had some tricks up their sleeve such as a nasty drop shot, slice, or serve.”
Pranav wrote, “I realized that making mistakes on the court was just a normal part of life and the opportunities to learn from mistakes transfer to other parts of life, shaping me as a person.”
Santana played tennis with her family and as she grew up she fondly remembers that tennis was a way for the family to bond and enjoy each other’s company. She played for four years on the team, and said, “I realized the importance of commitment and community. Tennis had a big impact on those years and I will carry the lessons, friendships, and joy that tennis brought.”
Nandita also played for four years and her experiences taught her skills and values that extend far beyond the game. “Tennis instilled persistence and self-confidence and the team became a second family for me,” she said. “The values learned on the court will help me tackle new challenges.”
The Scholarship Tournament on May 10 (you’ve signed up already, right?) uses handicap scoring such that if you win the first game, you start the second game Love-15. So what is your score if you win the first three games? You guessed it: Love-40. Conversely if you lose the first game, you start the second game 15-Love. This is a great way to even out the score. There will be a bountiful breakfast and luscious lunch courtside. And, hopefully, you’ll get to meet the four Scholarship winners at the lunch following the tournament.
It was a beautiful day at Rossmoor last Saturday, and sadly we left the trophy there losing by just two points. However, they were gracious hosts and treated us royally. Rossmoor players return to The Villages in October.
The Villages USTA teams are finishing their seasons. Kudos to the Villages USTA Women’s 65+ 7.0 team. They won their playoff match against Courtside Bay Club team Friday, April 25, and now move on to Sectionals at St Mary’s Collage in Moraga, CA, May 20 and 21. The Villages Men’s 55+ 7.0 team has 6 wins and 2 losses with 2 more matches to go and currently is in first place. Their next match is at home on Sunday, April 27 at 4:30 p.m. Come down to the courts and cheer them on!
