Sunday Sunrise Service

Religion does not play a very visible role in sports. Many teams and athletes privately and internally practice their faith before and after competition. However, it is not rare to hear about sports stars thanking God in press conferences or reading about players grouping together in team prayer. My high school tennis coach used to make us say the Serenity prayer before every match. A different person would say t aloud each time. Before we trekked to the tennis court to warm-up, we would also read inspirational quotes. I think it helped us see the big picture and realize there is something greater than the game itself. Other times during practice, our coach would have us lie on mats in the gym. We would practice something she referred to as imagery. Imagery is basically a form of meditation and it supposed to help improve muscle memory. I was skeptical about this strange approach to tennis training initially. But the more I tried to get into it, the more I noticed myself relaxing on the court. I tried putting this device into practice while playing and it seemed to work. Other teams would sometimes ridicule our pre-game rituals. I always felt lucky to have a faith-based team, even if some of us only paid lip service to idea. I wasn’t just going through the motions because it was an important and introspective part of competing to me.
When I played college in tennis, our coach was ultra religious. We too would say prayers before every match. I remember creating a circle and holding hands while listening to Coach’s prayers. The serene moment was enlightening and encouraging. It is hard to remember how grateful we should be as athletes. There are people who never have the chance to sniff a tennis court because they are disabled or don’t have the opportunity. Some people will never know how good it feels to swing a racket or run to the net on a short ball. It’s hard for me to conceive never having the honor of winning a tennis match.
Today is Easter Sunday and around the world, Christians are celebrating in churches. Sunrise services and Easter go hand-in-hand. I have my own version of sunrise Sunday services, and it involves tennis. I used to wake up early Sunday mornings in college and dress in sweats and a T-shirt. Tennis bag harnessed high on my shoulder, I’d hike to the courts. They were always empty in the early morning as the sun was just rising in the western New York sky. The six red and green tennis courts were open for everyone and I felt safe there alone. I would take a hopper and serve ball after ball over the net. As I was doing this awesome act, I’d think about my own faith. Rays of sunlight glowed, the covenant allowing me to serve.
Serving a tennis ball is like serving our Lord in a way. You are offering your very best and showcasing what you can bring to the game in both cases. The game of life is much larger and more important than tennis. But both have meaning. As the sun rises this Easter Sunday, I hope everybody is thankful for the services they can provide in all aspects of life. Remember to put your own personal spin on whatever your personal and professional goals are. My spin is tennis. The game defines who I am. Who are you?

Parting points: “So, who are you, yeah who are you?” -The Pretender by Foo Fighters