Alex Mella - Tennis

I was…

Homeschooled from elementary to middle school all because I had wanted to play tennis. I would barely do homework and only play almost 8-10 hours a day as a kid, and it was easy for me because I was given all the resources that I needed to play as much tennis that I could. My dad is my coach and he wanted me to play that much as a kid and I loved it. I made it up in the rankings in juniors until I injured my right forearm that caused me to be out for 8 months and almost a year. I had lost my high ranking and never got to the level that I wanted to be. When I could play again my senior year, I worked as hard as I could to get where I was before but it never happened. Everything was a blur because all I wanted was to be better than before and that was my only goal. All I did was compare myself to my friends who were getting D1 scholarships and I wanted the same thing but in the back of my head I knew that it wasn’t possible because I was too late. I had decided to go to IWU my senior year because I wanted to be something more than just a tennis player and I knew that IWU had something in store for me. I was excited to play my freshman year, but during pre-season I got a stress fracture on my right foot. After that injury, I doubted myself as a player and as a person even more. I was so confused on why this was God’s plan for me.

But Christ

Had showed me a different path. I was injured my freshman year and had a record of 14-12 my fall season. It was a terrible season for me but I learned a lot that year. I learned that I was more than just an athlete. I learned that I could be a good teammate and support my other teammates while I was on the bench. I learned to never give up on myself because I knew that God had a plan for me and that this happened for a reason. It was a bad record but I wouldn’t change it for the world because I found Christ during everything that was going on in my life. Christ taught me to stop comparing myself to others anymore because it was not worth it. I learned that God gave me this ability so that I could be an example of Him off and on the court.

And now…

I know where I stand and I know what I want and that is to keep being an example of God for my teammates and to others. I now understand that the trials that I went through only brought me closer to Him and so that I could build a relationship with Him. And that being an athlete is not so that I could break records and win trophies, but an opportunity to show Christ to others.

Life Verse

1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you”

Challenge to Other Athletes/Coaches

I Challenge and encourage everyone to believe not only within themselves but to truly believe in God’s plan for them. I also challenge everyone to never compare themselves to other teams or even teammates because it is not worth it and it is better to support and love one another for who we are and not what we can do.