Should I quit my school tennis team?

Question

The problem is that I get stuck practicing with the worst players on the team. My tennis skills are gradually getting noticeably worse. i use to be able to slam the ball back at my opponents but now i keep making errors that i would have made a year ago. im ranked 10 out of 13 and only the top 6 get to play real matches. I have beaten the higher ranked kids but for some reason the coach put me at 10. if i challange another player for their rank they will probably beat me now because im not use to playing fast pace tennis anymore. now everytime i come home from "practice" i feel very frustrated and stressed. should i quit the team? i might add more detail later.

the only thing keeping me on the team is because colleges think it looks good. but i don't know if i can stand it anymore

On friday the coach moved me down for no apparent reason. when i asked him he said that it was because of missed practice but no one challenged me during the practice so it doesnt make sense..... i spent my vacation weekend angry.....

I also talked to the coach and he got really angry at me and now always yells at me and makes me do more running. will colleges even care if i was on the team? Please give more suggestions

Answer 1

well, if it is causing you stress then you should not continue playing in that forum. Maybe you should consider playing tennis a t a local club instead. If you used to enjoy playing tennis, then it is likely that you like something about it. So quit your school tennis team and try to start up at a local club.
Alternatively you could try to discuss your frustration with your coach.
Just remember tennis is a game played for enjoyment, so don't let it get you down.

Answer 2

I am on my high school tennis team and this past season there were 14 girls on the team. Because i had only been playing about 2 years, i was on the bottom of the ladder along with my friend. We never really played real matches, but my coach always let us play practice matches. For me it was fine because i could cheer my team on and get a lot better because of being on varsity. I am much happier that i didn't play as much but got to hang out with the seniors on the team. Another thing is, I am an assistant coach for a middle school team, and as a coach i see the other side of things. When we had tryouts, i immediately cut the people that were annoying, or complained about stuff. Attitude is EVERYTHING. I might be wrong. But, i feel like you might be giving your coach the feeling that you think you are really good, and so he's keeping you down because he doesn't think you have worked hard enough. So basically be really positive and cheer your teammates on and hopefully your coach will put you in.

Answer 3

Do not quit.

I coached tennis for two years at Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, VA. In 2004 we won the AAA State Championship at the team level. There was a boy on that team that was ranked 10th and was very distressed, much like you are now.

However, instead of quitting, he participated in tennis clinics and took lessons to improve his game during the offseason. In 2005, he won a spot in the top 6 and played for the team.

Remember also that even though you are not in the top 6, you are just as much a part of the team as the next guy. If it were not for the moral support of our ENTIRE team, we never would have won that State Championship.

Quitters are never winners. Good luck. You can do it!

Answer 4

If the coach and the players make it too unbearable to enjoy for you, I would quit from the high school team. You can then focus more on your school work. Since you still love tennis, try to find a rec league or club near you so you can still play on your own schedule. I personally know that school and sports and the politics in the sports can be difficult. Just do what you feel is best for you and your future.

Answer 5

Actually, I just joined the Tennis team at my school this year, and I'm facing similar problems. It's not because of skill or anything, only because the coach doesn't know me. Luckily though, I'm friends with the captain and I'm gonna be (usually) training with the Top 7 (There's 7 spots for playing) instead of all the little kids (I call them little, because they are all 7th and 8th graders. Everyone else, including me, is at least a freshman with experience, me being the only one not having played for the school before.) I'm almost as good as the 7th seeded kid (who is the only freshman, and quite unathletic at that, but for the moment he is slightly better than me.) The captain knows I have good potential, and I proved myself today as a matter of fact. Now, this is where our issues colide- How do we get the coach to see us. I don't know your coach, or the workings of your team, but I say try if possible to play more. Also, as far as the worse people go, see if you can find other better people to play with when not at practice to increase your skill. Make sure the coach knows and sees how good you are. Good luck

Answer 6

Don't quit the team. I bet there are other tennis players in area that you can play against or practice with. A local tennis club or public park is one of the best places to pick up matches. Just be patient, even in real matches you don't always get to play hard-hitting, excellent players.

Answer 7

No, don't quit. I'd say go out to the public courts around your neighborhood and start challenging other players. Most would be happy to play someone different. It seems as though you know what you need to find in a practice partner. joining the USTA could also be an option. I wouldn't have become a national player without it. In terms of college. It's only impressive if you actually contributed to the team. Since your benched, joining the USTA could give you more leverage in college. Joining the USTA means that you're dedicated and confident. GOOD LUCK

Answer 8

No, you should not quit, just play a lot of tennis with people better than you in your off time, and it will keep your skills sharp

Answer 9

And that's a huge problem. I do not play with beginners because I notice that my game level goes down when I know I'm playing someone who doesn't have game at all. I love tennis and I want to keep improving....I cannot do that if I play someone whose never played before. Tell them you cannot play with them anymore. They'll think of you as stuck-up but so what, they're not helping your game and in fact, they're just dragging you down. They'll soon realize that when they get better, they'll understand where you're coming from.

Answer 10

If you have other ways of playing tennis, than yes, you should quit.....
It is never good to get stuck with bad players....It happens to me a lot, and ruins my chances when I play a good player later....
Not only that, but if u r feeling stressed out and frustrated, than it's not worth playing...tennis is for fun, and if ur not having fun, than it's definitely not worth it.