Emily Slobozien
(pictured with Nancy Hungerford)

Emily’s Essay Reads

1. Please describe how being a member of your schoolʼs Tennis Team has affected your overall high school experience. I started playing tennis my junior year of high school. I always thought the sport was fun, but was never on an actual team. Then, after I stopped playing field hockey, I was nervous to start a new sport in the latter half of high school because most people my age had already mastered the foundational skills. However, I had many friends on the team that encouraged me to join, so I decided to take the risk. And it ended up being one of the best experiences of my high school career. I asked many questions and took a lot of peoples’ advice in order to learn how to play tennis more technically. It was humbling to be learning from people my age or younger, and I had to be patient throughout the whole process. But being willing and excited to learn carried over into the other activities I was involved in. I found myself being more open to the unknown and excited for new experiences. I pursued many leadership roles in other clubs and organizations because I was willing to take on risks. I understood that learning happens at all stages, and learning is best achieved when approached with an open mind. I also created so many friendships with the girls on my tennis team. That was one of the closest communities I found throughout high school, and even though I was only on the team for two years, I felt like I’d known the girls my whole life. Whether we were on or off the court, we were cheering each other on and supporting one another. I found it so easy to connect with them, and I now have so many friendships that I will carry with me for a long time. Although I was only a part of the tennis team for two years, it had one of the greatest influences on me compared to the other clubs I participated in. The humility, willingness to learn, and community affected me on and off the court, and I will carry its impact with me through all of my next steps after high school.

Tennis is often seen as a very individualized activity. Compared to other sports, like soccer, hockey, or basketball, it definitely is more focused on the individual. However, I found out how important teamwork is in tennis, especially when playing doubles. My doubles partner and I grew very close throughout the season and ended up being the only pair to make it to the second round of leagues. However, that didn’t come easily. We worked through many differences in what motivates us, how we play, and other strengths and weaknesses. I learned to have patience, especially when I was frustrated with our match. Even just a few encouraging words after we messed up could alter the outcome of the game. If we weren’t motivating each other and keeping positive perspectives, it became so easy to get in our heads and lose point after point. This positivity quickly became more of my lifestyle even off the court, and I started seeing how valuable encouragement could be. Along with positivity, I learned the importance of discipline. As I was two years behind many of the girls in my grade, I had to put in a lot of time and effort just to reach their level, and then to excel and make varsity my second year. I often practiced with family and friends outside of the regular practices, and that helped me progress very quickly. I made many mistakes along the way and had to relearn a lot of basic skills that I had taught myself while playing for fun, but I leaned on a lot of mentors and absorbed any advice I could get. When I applied their advice and practiced it over and over. I saw a lot of progress. Improvements didn’t come naturally; it was with much discipline and patience that I excelled the most. Applying that mindset to areas like academics and other extracurriculars fostered a lot of growth and I saw my hard work pay off. Although I wish I had started tennis at the beginning of high school because of how much I now love the sport, I still learned so much and saw the value in starting something new later than most people. There are so many lessons I learned that I will carry with me for a while, and I’m so thankful for all that Donegal tennis has taught me.

Elementary education is the career I am pursuing through my college education. I want to help young students grow as individuals by encouraging their curiosity and teaching them new ideas. My desire is to show children that education is more than just a space to learn; education is a constant cycle of giving back to younger generations so they can contribute positively to their communities. I want to pour back into students the same support and passion that some of my elementary school teachers shared with me. Their influence is still inspiring me to upholdvirtuous character, so I want to have that same impact on the students that I will someday be privileged to teach.