Day 14 of Thanksgiving

Today I am thankful for all things TENNIS 🎾!! That may sound a little crazy, but this sport has given me so much! It’s great exercise, but tennis is so much more than that for me.

Through this great sport, I have been blessed with such incredible friendships. Some of my best friends were made as opponents and partners on the court. There would not have been room in a pic collage to highlight them all so I just highlighted the ones with whom I’ve attended most recent events.

This sport also afforded me even greater opportunities to grow as a person. I never knew I had leadership skills (and I still question that myself), but very early on I took on the challenge of being a team captain. I’ve captained many teams that won local leagues and advanced to state championships. About 10 years ago I received a call from Judy Pritchett Pearce asking if I would serve on the Board of Directors for CORTA as Adult League Committee chairperson. I immediately gave her many reasons why I couldn’t serve in that capacity, the main one being “Judy, I’m simply not a leader. I’m a follower and I’m a supporter. I’ll help other leaders get things done, but please don’t ask me to lead.” Her response is one that has stuck with me all these years. Every time someone asks me to step up and lead, I continue to hear her voice that day —

“Michelle, you may not think of yourself as a leader, but I see those attributes in you, and so do other people because your name continues to be mentioned.”

The next year Judy called and asked if I would serve on the Board of Directors as Volunteer Chairperson. That time I said yes, and I have served on the Board of Directors and/or Executive Committee in various roles ever since, most recently as Secretary. The last two years I have served on USTA GA Advisory Council as the District 4 Rep, serving CORTA and CHATA. When I ring in 2019, I will be serving CORTA, USTA GA, in addition to USTA Southern, in new roles (to be announced at a later date, assuming the nominations are approved by the respective Boards).

Tennis continues to bring new friends my way, to improve my health, and to enhance my leadership skills. If you have never tried this great sport, I would encourage you to reach out to your local CTA and get involved in the game. You will be amazed at how far it will take you!!  🎾 💕