Anyone who knows me knows that tennis is my jam. While I am a way better spectator than I am a player, I’ve spent the better half of my life trying to play the BEST game (set and match) on the planet. Growing up, my mom was an avid tennis player and I would simply try to swing my racquet for fun. When I was in college, however, my roommates and I would daily go find open courts around campus to play and I could never get enough. In grad school, I played every weather-permitting night. When BJ and I started dating, we were broke-as-a-joke and often spent our time on the tennis court together…. And then I got married, had two babies, hurt my back and had to hang up my racket for a few years.

When I was a little girl, my mom played tennis as much as I try to now but was also just as much a spectator… meaning tennis was always on our tv. I grew up watching matches (specifically Andre Agassi & Wimbledon) and genuinely grew to LOVE watching the sport. My roommates in college often laughed at how tennis was always on my screen. When I got married, turns out BJ was all in on my passion, and so as soon as I hung up my racket, we started making plans to see the GOAT, Roger Federer, play on every surface in person while we had the chance. We are truly some of that man's very biggest fans.

For BJ and I's 5th anniversary we headed to the US Open, for our 8th we headed to Wimbledon, and for our 10th we had bought tickets to Roland Garros but, SURPRISE, got to have Dorothy Grace instead! So, we never did see Roger play on clay…. BUT, in 2022 we bought tickets to see him play the Laver Cup before we knew that it where he would play his final match. We were in the room when it happened! We got to watch his very last match, alongside his tennis best friends, the entire tennis community and his family and I'll never, ever get over that weekend and his retirement and all the feelings felt by every last one of us in that moment - I even got his autograph and have a very short convo with him. IT WAS EVERYTHING!

 

Ps. Did you see his documentary that just came out?? I'm watching for my cameo ;). Since his retirement I've come to love so many new players and so to this day I am the ultimate tennis spectator - I’ll watch anyone play anytime, anywhere, and if it's on broadcasted on tv, it's broadcasting on my tv.

One of the sweetest gifts of 2021 was jumping back into tennis as a player. I restarted drills with a group of beginner friends - and we spent two years practicing and scrimmaging before we officially registered with a doubles league here in Dallas as the Nadolls (a play on Rafa Nadal - now do you understand the title? I really wanted us to be the Federhers). At least two days every week, you will find me out there headed to play the greatest game, move my body, fellowship with friends, compete… and it's been the best release for me in this season of my life. The perfect calendar appointment that gives me energy in my other priorities with that balanced on my schedule. Do you have a sport or activity that brings you this kind of ridiculous joy? What do you play? Do you carve out the time to play? If not, why not? At 42, I’m hoping I’m just at the starting line of my tennis playing journey.

 

About 2 years ago, my mom picked up the game of golf after moving to our lake house full-time… she, my dad and their friends play multiple times a week. Some of my best friends decided that 2024 was their year to learn to play tennis. One of my friends decided to try running and just qualified for the Boston marathon. At our school, there are a group of dads that play a weekly 6am basketball game and Saturday pickup soccer matches. Pickleball won the hearts of the world in 2020 and it seems like everyone is out there trying. I think I just love watching friends and family out there adding in this layer of play to their lives. I just think it's so, so good and one of the healthiest decisions we can make for our whole selves.

I am a VERY competitive person. But I rarely compete against others. I am always competing against the version of myself that is in my head, heart or even dreams. But one of the things I am constantly telling my tennis team is that I have grown to LOVE the game of tennis by losing the game of tennis. The outcome on the court does not dictate my posture towards playing this game. It just can't… I'm not good enough, it isn't worth it and ultimately that robs the entire point of playing at this stage in my life. Reality: in a game against another person, if you can't win the point you can still win the heart ;)… it is just a game. I feel like I have already WON every single time I step on that court before I even take the first swing, because I am on the court. I am healthy enough to be out there, I am eager enough to put in the sweat and I am joyful just to be playing. I win, regardless the actual scoreboard (but yes, I do try REALLY hard to win). You may need to chew on that, too.

 

So to just go ahead and land this plane…. I think play is really, really important. Not just because we need some kind of mental and physical release, nor because we should always be doing something, nor because a recruiter is watching and about to give us our big break. I think play is important because so much of our life feels incredibly weighty - life is weighty! - we have people to feed, shelter, nuture, instruct and deadlines and responsibilities and a million other things that will take our time and our energy and our lives from us if we allow it. But the balance of adding play in gives us just that…. balance. Work hard, play hard. Play without a consequence to your family's bottom line. Play to give you the something to look forward to. Play to challenge yourself. Play to build community. Play to stay healthy.  Play…. something. Move your body with friends. Win or lose the game and enjoy, learn something, and challenge yourself as you do. You are not defined by the games you play, but they can sure help redefine what is important to you, what challenges you and maybe even expose issues that need brought to the light.

I challenge you to make a plan to play today! Don't know where to start? Grab a tennis racquet, a can of balls and go find a court and try tennis. I bet you love it. And, don’t forget your sunscreen - protect your largest organ. Also, hydrate. Even more so, don’t push yourself and hurt yourself - take time to stretch. Look cute doing it because… why not?