STF Student Jacqueline Reyes: Tennis Is a Silent Sport

This summer, Serve The Future (STF) focused on the theme Awareness/Communication – ON & OFF the court, emphasizing Self-Awareness and Court Awareness. Reflect on how the activities, coaching, and experiences provided by STF challenged you to grow and helped you become more aware—both as a tennis player and as a person. How did this awareness impact your performance on the court and influence your choices, mindset, or relationships off the court? Use specific examples to show how STF made a difference in your personal development.

Tennis is a silent sport. When I attended my first high school match, I noticed the silent atmosphere occupied by nerves and anxiety. This observation was reinforced when I later got the opportunity to attend the Arizona Classic Tennis Tournament. I noticed the strict rules on talking. Even though this was a sporting event, no one was allowed to cheer during certain moments, people constantly shushed others, and the peak of noise was in the applause after a really well-played rally.

I found comfort in this silence for a weird reason; it reminded me of home. I grew up in a deafening silence, a silence of survival. When my mom and I would hide from my dad, the silence was the best part because it meant no conflict. However, after we left him and moved into a different home, the silence became tormenting, as it was a constant reminder of my loneliness. With my mom working all day to support us, I lived alone most of the day. I would go to school alone, return in the afternoon, make lunch, then wait for her to return at night. It was nice at first, but after spending most of my time alone, I realized its profound impact on how I lived my life.

Living in silence had stunted my communication skills.

When I first started playing tennis, I preferred to play singles because it didn't force me to confront my communication skills. I didn't have to rely on others or carry the weight of someone else's feelings about my mistakes on the court. During my singles matches, I could clear my mind and just exist in a silent environment with the occasional bounce on the court. I rejoiced in being able to play in a place I was so familiar with.

That was my mindset in 2021, my first year of playing tennis. No formal training, just vibes, and silence.

After I started to take lessons with Coach Leslie, I found myself getting frustrated with myself rather than proud of my progress. I rarely won matches in my first year, and I always justified it by reminding myself that I had never played before, so it was an expected outcome that I would lose. However, during my second year, I could no longer use that excuse; instead, I turned to the excuse that I was just playing for fun and had no desire to win.

I became frustrated because my once silent mind became clouded with negative thoughts.

A place that was once so familiar became a place that prevented me from making significant improvements. It sucked because my mind is something I can't really detach myself from, so it resulted in me having to carry this burden anytime I was on the courts.

I've experimented with many different techniques to help improve my self-talk and communication while attending Serve The Future practices. However, none of them really stuck with me until the coach told me to try creating a rhythm for the ball and hone in on that instead of my negative mindset. The trick was to repeat "bounce, swing" to be more aware of the ball and my timing. Surprisingly, this technique worked well, completely changing me as a player. I started incorporating it into my routine while practicing or playing my matches. This summer, while using this technique, I found that my backhand and forehand improved significantly from what they were a year ago. I was more consistent with my rallies, could control the ball better, and, most importantly, overcame the negative thoughts that stunted my improvement. By becoming more aware of the ball and replacing my thoughts with a rhythmic phrase to focus on instead, I could isolate the negativity and return to the familiar silence. Learning to communicate with other STF students also helped me become more aware of the court. Building a community with others has made it easier to communicate, and with that ease, communication increases your court awareness. Meeting these people allowed me to practice my communication skills comfortably during our doubles and triples practice. These communication skills have translated to my everyday life beyond tennis and have helped me become a better student. I've overcome my fears, and making friends, presenting, and interviewing for jobs and scholarships is a lot easier than before.

Serve the Future has helped me transform the silence that inhibited my progress into something I look for when I want to improve or complete any task. I've applied this technique of finding a rhythm to help me concentrate. For example, during my college exams, I narrow down the questions into two steps: 1. Read, then answer. It helps me not feel overwhelmed by the pressures of the exam grade, and it helps with reducing overthinking.

I no longer have a complicated relationship with silence; I welcome it when I produce my best work and when I want to be successful.

Jacqueline Reyes
Metro Tech Graduate
ASU, Sophomore
3+ years with STF