Today, the best tennis player at Punahou was in risk of losing. This past Tuesday, he had won the first set, 6-4, and while up a break of serve, and up 4-2, yet he lost the second set 4-6. He was up a break, 1-0 in the third. He was injured, and so this match was taking a lot longer than we anticipated it would take. The other kid was good, if not very arrogant and conceited. More specifically, the other kid was arguably the number 2 or 3 player in the state. So, I guess everyone on varsity accepted the fact it was possible that the match would be hard from the start, but we were all surprised. Luckily, since it rained, the match was postponed till this Thursday, today. Evidently, the number one won 5 straight games to close out the match.
After the match, I got a necessary talk from the number one, the captain of the team. It's quite admirable to see a captain of the team take it on himself to address problems individual problems for teammates. I mean, I'm not trying to sound arrogant or anything, because I know anytime I play him, if I get any games I'm lucky, but in a sense he is creating more competition for himself. It's admirable to see someone who cares more about the well-being of the team, than for self glory. The talk was about what he thought was the difference between how he played on Tuesday, and today. He said the difference was that on Tuesday, he was making excuses for not playing very well- he complained about his back and such, but today, he sucked it up, didn't make excuses, and essentially wanted to put this guy in his place. He asked me what I thought about the night before I play this other guy. I admitted that I hated this guy. I told the captain that this guy thinks that he's better than anyone else. And, that I really do hate to play him. The number one said that that was what he thought.
What he said to me, I cannot fully recall. What I do remember from that conversation, what I took away from it the most, is that it is an obligation to your school, to your teammates, to your coaches, and to everyone who's ever helped you, to perform however well you can. I'll admit that I didn't want to play him, but right now, I'm fired up. I want to play the jerk on the other team now. I realize that contrary to his belief, tennis is not everything. I actually pity him now. Even if he was the best player in the world, and if he won every tournament he entered, it would be meaningless if he alienated everyone who ever helped him get to that point, as he is doing right now with his attitude problem. If he had nobody to share his success with, then all that means is that he truly is a self-centered jerk, doing it for personal glory. He doesn't care about his teammates at all, so even if I lost to him, I wouldn't really consider it a loss. Rather, I would have given him a moment of glory, in his petty life, whereas in mine, where I am surrounded by great friends and teachers, I feel much more fulfilled. In this sense, I want to represent all who supported me on the way here, even those who are not in my life anymore, by beating this kid.
"And I'll tell you this. In any fight, it's the guy that's willing to die, that will win that inch." Peace with Inches, delivered by Al Pachino.
For my teammates, not for my own self-glorification, I am willing to die for that inch, which could make all the difference.
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3 comments:
Yes, that's the way to work all that anger off... But why do I feel that you're assuming too much about the dude from the other team? o_o
Well, I'll admit that my view of him is of course going to be biased in a negative way. It's just that, his attitude and ideals are all wrong. Not that I'm saying I know everything and that my own morals are correct, but the number one guy it talks about... the reason why this guy is so good is because Skyler, the number one helped him get better. And yet, there's no appreciation; no respect.
This post needs to be revised for our school name. Thanks.
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