Some people’s journey with a sports team is coincidental or a result of circumstance, but Oak Park High School girls tennis senior captain Abigail Li always intended to join the Oak Park High School tennis team, having begun playing when she was six.
“When I was young, I tried many different sports, but tennis is just the one that I stuck with and I’ve been playing since I was young, competing in tournaments,” Li said. “So obviously, a goal of mine was to join the Oak Park High School tennis team.”
Over the past four years, Li’s faced ups and downs as a player, but the adversity has given her opportunities to grow from.
“Being in any sport, but for me, tennis, of course you’ll always face injuries or you’ll face days where you’re not playing as well,” Li said. “And I think that helps you develop as a person because it teaches you that you can’t be good every day.”
Another benefit of being on the team so long? Li experienced a full-circle moment, becoming like the seniors she once looked up to.
“When I was a freshman, I really looked up to the seniors,” Li said. “I would always look to them for tips, guidance, direction. So then as a senior, I want to be that for the other people on the team.”
Li isn’t the only varsity player with this goal, leading to a team where regardless of level, every member is incredibly close.
“I feel like most teams have a JV and a varsity, and I feel like they’re pretty split,” Li said. “But for our team, we don’t really, like, define it as JV or varsity.”
Some of Li’s favorite memories with the team take place before games or during practice.
“A lot of our core memories are on the bus rides,” Li said. “We play music and we chat and that bonds everyone together. Also, sometimes when our practices are more relaxed, like when we get to play music or we split into groups and play games, those are always good memories. Recently, at another match, we had a thing after the match where the students played against the parents.”
Similar to the other players on the team, Li has experienced the mental struggles related to playing tennis at such a high level. To cope, her strategy is to adopt a mentality of radical confidence.
“You have to kind of have the mindset that ‘I am the better player on the court,’” Li said.
“Even if you aren’t, that mindset will help you, maybe run to the ball faster and make every ball. If you just go in believing that you’ll win, you might end up winning, but if you go in believing you won’t win, you kind of just give up halfway through.”
