STF’s Joshua Moreno Peláez in Finals for USTA Essay Contest
STF’s own Joshua Moreno Peláez has been selected to participate In the finals for the 2025 USTA Foundation Essay Contest. His essay is in the running for the national prize and we couldn’t be prouder of him!
The prompt for all contestants to write about is “Finding Your Way: Getting through tough times shows what a true champion is made of. Reflect on a time when you experienced a challenge, setback or failure. What lessons did you learn, and how did the experience shape your personal growth?”
Read Joshua’s essay submission below…
In tennis, as in life, challenges are part of the path to growth. Every defeat, every setback, and every difficult moment teachesus valuable lessons about resilience, determination, and the true nature of a champion. In my case, my journey with tennis has been marked by challenges that not only tested my patience but also pushed me to become a better version of myself.
Three years ago, my life took an unexpected turn when I moved to the United States. Arriving in a country with a completely new culture and having to learn a new language was undoubtedly one of the biggest challenges I have faced. For a while, I felt out of place, unable to communicate fluently and struggling to adapt. As a result, I had to give up tennis, a sport that had been a source of joy and confidence for me. Even though I wanted to continue playing, adapting to the new lifestyle was my priority, and my lack of connection with my inner self kept me from returning to the sport.
However, recently, I decided to step back onto the court. At first, it wasn’t easy. After years without practice, my level wasn’t the same, my reflexes were slower, and my confidence level had diminished. I realized that competing with other players who had been training for longer was intimidating. Every match I played reminded me how far I was from being on my best level. There were moments of frustration when I wondered if it was even worth trying again.
But in those difficult moments, I learned the most valuable lesson: a champion is not defined by how many times they win, but by how many times they get back up after falling. Instead of giving in to self-criticism, I started seeing each defeat as an opportunity to improve. Every missed shot, every mistake on the court, every lost match became a lesson to refine my technique, strengthen my mindset, and rekindle my passion for tennis.
The process of adapting, both to the country and to tennis, taught me that challenges are not obstacles but stepping stonesto success. I learned to be patient with myself, to value progress instead of obsessing to perfection, and to enjoy the game without constantly comparing myself to others. I also discovered the importance of discipline and effort, understanding that improvement requires dedication and consistency. Little by little, the results started to show: my shots became more accurate, my endurance increased, and, most importantly, my confidence returned.
Today, every time I step onto the court, I remember that tennis is much more than a sport. It is a constant test of character, resilience, and love for the game. Through this experience, I learned that overcoming difficult moments not only proves what a true champion is made of but also helps us better understand ourselves, strengthen our determination, and discover our ability to keep moving forward despite obstacles.
Without a doubt, my journey in tennis has been a metaphor for my process of adapting to life in the United States. Just as I had to learn a new language and adjust to a new culture, I also had to learn to face challenges on the court with courage and determination. In the end, the most important thing is not the number of victories we achieve but our ability to keep fighting, to learn from every setback, and to find in every obstacle an opportunity to grow. Because at the end of the day, a true champion is not the one who never loses, but the one who never gives up.
