Chapter Three: Flesh and Blood

Previous Chapters
Sweat and Hope
Widening Our Nets

A successful season rides on a lot of things that don't involve tennis. As mentioned in the previous chapters about 2010, there is a need for hard work, hope, and for relationships. A successful team is defined by a whole range of characteristics, and needs leaders to hold them to their high standards. Forehands, backhands and serves are simply not enough.

So in 2010, we embarked on a devotional and motivational campaign to promote maturity. Maturity as defined by 2 Peter 1:5-8. It began here on the blog, and then continued through readings and meditations at tennis camp, then I kept coming back to these key words as we made our way through the season. Words like goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, and love.

Those qualities are needed in tennis. More than any sport I know, tennis requires these very Biblical values. And these qualities must be modeled, or we don't understand them. Jesus came to put flesh and blood to God, so that we might see and live. These qualities need flesh and blood as well, and going into 2010, we were blessed with leaders who brought them to life.

At the end of 2009, Seth Krabill was on a roll. He was demolishing every #2 singles opponent that he played, crushing people with an ease that was scary. At the same time, Ben Mast was struggling at #1 singles. And so late in the season, we switched. Seth took his confidence into the #1 singles position, and Ben fell to #2. It was clear in the offseason that the position would be up for grabs, and throughout the spring Ben and Seth battled back and forth. Ben would win in a tiebreak, Seth would win 7-5, then one then the other.

Then come 2010, Seth was squarely at #2. And it matters, because #2 singles can't advance in the state tournament (and most don't make All-District). But Seth never blinked an eyebrow. Seth accepted his new role, and embraced it. He was our sure point, and he never complained. Seth exhibited GOODNESS to everyone, because he was more concerned with the good of the whole team than himself.

And it's easy to say, but he actually sacrificed for the team. At the end of the year, Seth finished 20th on the All-District voting. Top 16 make the team. He was undefeated, he couldn't have done more. I guarantee had he played #1 singles, he would have made the team. He was good enough.

What is needed for success? A leader who is good.

Kyle Miller could be commended for the same thing. Despite being our best doubles player, Kyle could never find a partner who helped him become a dominant force at #1 doubles. Russell Klassen would have offered that possibility, but splitting our top doubles players allowed us to dominate #2 doubles. It was a tactical move to get us another point in each match, and Kyle understood. He sacrificed personal wins for team wins. And that is the sign of goodness.

But also of self-control. Having different partners, who didn't all try as hard as Kyle did, made Kyle increasingly frustrated. But Kyle controlled his emotions and left it on the court.

What is needed for success? A leader with self-control.

Which could also be said of Ben Mast. He was someone who seemed in control at all times while he played. He couldn't be shaken by a bad call, a strong serve, or his own bad play. Never with his head down, always working for the next point. I remember early in the season when he got down 0-2 against Goshen in our second match of the season. He didn't get down, he didn't hang his head, and instead stormed ahead to a convincing victory. Control. Ben was in control.

But he had to persevere to get to that position. He had to learn from difficulty. Like having the #1 position ripped away from him at the end of 2009. Playing #1 singles for 14 matches, he ended the season with 6 at #2 singles. And he struggled with that reality, actually losing 2 of those matches. But he had to overcome it entering 2010.

And so he put it out of mind and worked. He didn't sulk, he didn't complain, he persevered. At the end of the season, he had a reward. Not only the #1 singles position, but an 18-4 record and an All-District selection.

What is needed for success? A leader who perseveres.

And what was true of all of our leaders? They were devoted to BC tennis. Workouts, Saturdays, early mornings, tennis camp, prayer partners, overnights at the courts, new players, new friends, new doubles partners, freshman who were loud, freshman who were quiet, balls hit out of the court, countless miles after practice. They came back, and they came back each time with renewed passion and energy.

What is needed for success? Leaders who love.

The flesh and blood of 2010's success was it's leaders. They embodied the soul of the team. Goodness, self-control, perseverance, and love.