I wish there was more time in the day. I used to spend hours watching sports on tv, and then adult life happened and I lost touch with sports I loved to watch. This weekend, I was reminded of a few things about sports and life, and being a dad.
When I was in high school, my brother and I started playing tennis for fun at the run down, town court. We learned from watching professional tennis on tv and slowly, I hope, we improved a little bit. We learned about the top players in the late 90's by watching them play in grand slams on tv between our pool time and hanging out with friends.
I remember when Venus and Serena Williams started to play on tv. They were both full of energy and different than the typical tennis player on tour. As time went by, I continued to watch the sisters, and others play. I could sit and watch pro tennis all day. The technique and game play really intrigued me.
Fast forward 25 years. I watched Serena play in her last (probably) grand slam match this weekend. The roar of the crowd during the match was incredible. The energy that filled the stadium could be felt through the tv as I sat and watched, hoping it wouldn't be Serena's last match. When it was over, and she lost, the ovation Serena Williams received was exactly what I expected.
Serena stood out. She is likely the best tennis player of all time. She is human and made mistakes, got angry and lost her temper at times. She never pretended to be something she was not. Serena was Serena and wasn't afraid of what people would say. She didn't try to fit a mold, and to me, that is what makes her one of the greatest.
Before becoming a dad to daughters, I have followed women's sports, and have loved watching. I hope that my own daughters never try to fit a mold that someone else wants them to fit. I hope they go for what they want and never let someone tell them they can't. I hope they set goals that other people think they can't achieve. I hope they believe they can do anything.
Thank you, Serena, for inspiring people to stand out.
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