49. GIVING BACK

Being on the tennis tour can place a player in a ‘bubble’ so to speak. The player becomes so engrossed with the relentless training and competing that she/he can easily forget about life in the ‘real world’ and become quite self absorbed. However, it is important that players, in particular, the top level ones, take a reality check every now and then, and give back to their sport and not just take all the rewards for themselves.

With this in mind, however well your player does on her tennis journey, please encourage her to ‘give back’ to any people or organisations that have encouraged her to play, at whatever stage of her career. However trivial it may seem to your player, never let her underestimate the impact that a couple of hours spent on the court with local children and club members can have. Too many players forget or simply do not understand this and are reluctant to give any time to the schools, clubs, and counties that helped them get to where they are now.

Obviously there are stand out examples to the contrary of this. Only recently Elena Rybakina very generously gave a substantial amount of her prize money to support junior players in Kazakhstan, and other top level players have likewise set up foundations to support similar kinds of projects. But giving back doesn’t have to be so monetary focused or on such a grand scale to be of significance. Simply turning out to play for your county or club is a gift in itself and a gesture of thanks for support received in the past. It may not always be convenient to dedicate a day, a weekend or more to play for your club or county but it will be appreciated and in my opinion, should definitely be done, and your player will most likely find, that she really enjoys the experience.

My player is good at giving back and enjoys it. It’s not always convenient but she sees the value of taking the time to work with the young club members and as a team mate to her county peers. She values the support she gets from the club and the county and feels it only right to give back as a token of thanks. The change of environment from the tour to the local club is welcome too – less stress and more relaxed. A time to make new friends, and get some match practice in as well – maybe not at tour level but still a chance to practice tactics and new skills. It’s a win win for all.

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