Family: a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with the children they care for
I can't believe another vacation in Minnesota has come to an end!!!!!! This one was definitely the hardest, as every time I come back to Minnesota it gets harder to say goodbye!!! Especially since I stepped on the court and actually did some games with the kids for the first time in 6 years!!!! I do some pretty long runs and bike rides now, so it gives me a chance to see other tennis programs during the day as I run/bike past them (since I have that freedom during the day as I am still not officially back with Shako tennis....YET)!!!!:):):):) But as I bike past them for those mere 15 seconds, I don't get the warmth and family like atmosphere I absolutely fell in love with my first summer with Shako Tennis back in 1992 (wow feeling old) and continued throughout my 17 years with the program as player, coach, and finally Assistant to the Director of Tennis!!!:):):) I guarantee that ANY 15 seconds throughout a lesson at Shakopee tennis will be an exciting, loud, energetic 15 seconds (minus water breaks and picking up balls, even though I did have some pretty exciting ball picking up moments)!!!! But with all that loudness and energy came a loving care from the coaches, wanting to see each and every single player succeed but more importantly LOVE the game of tennis!!!!:):):):) And we did this through fun and teaching how to have character on the court, not solely on winning!! If we could/can have players leave Shakopee Tennis with an amazing character on the court and love of the game, than we did our job!!!! And yes we had some wins along the way too!!!:):) AND A HECK OF A LOT OF FREE ICE WATER THANKS TO WALL DRUG!!!!:):):):)
I know my blog is still up on the STA website, so please do not think of this as a cheap plug for Shako tennis (even though every kid will absolutely LOVE being involved in it)!! This is merely a nostalgic moment for me as I'm heading out from Minnesota once again and reliving the moments of this summer and past summers!!!:):) Shakopee tennis was and will always be my family away from family!! I had some tough years as a kid going through a divorcing family, and as cheesy as it sounds Shakopee Tennis was my family away from family every single summer!! Still to this day, I keep in touch with those that helped me through those tough times!! It's definitely one of those feelings only those who have lived through a divorce will feel, not even my parents will understand as they didn't have to be a kid trying to understand what is happening and who to go to now!! But one thing I knew that would always be in my life was summer tennis and the pure joy and excitement that one can find on the courts every single day you're out there!!:):) Be it Wacky Wednesday or some crazy made up game I'm pretty sure only Shakopee players know!! Or even better yet, the moments after a lesson and everyone is just relaxing and talking under the Constenson stand or goofing around and not having to remember what some of us had to go back to in the real world!! For me Shakopee Tennis was and will always be my Emerald City/Field of Dreams/(sorry couldn't think of a tennis movie with a made up wonderful place)!! A place where for one single moment, all the hardships of life would melt away, and you're with people that care for you and are also there for one thing: fun!!!:):)
So as I am packed and ready to go back to India (which I am definitely looking forward to as always, as much as I love it here in Minnesota, Mussoorie is definitely becoming a 4th home), I think back to the wonderful times this summer being back on the court, ESPECIALLY with my daughter!! A future tennis player/coach?? Only time will tell on that one!! But as I was feeding See-Ya today for the 3rd time this summer, I couldn't help but think about next summer already and maybe being involved a little bit more again?!?! I know the last 3 previous summers I visited I was extremely hesitant on being involved, as I didn't know what emotions would come up and if that coaching "spark" would still be there!?!? Well on my final "Give Jenny a heat stroke" feed during See-Ya I knew that spark was still lit inside and I must say, next summer I think it's time to give it a little more oxygen!!!:):):) It's time!!!:):)
To my rock and support group growing up and my extended family, I thank you Shakopee Tennis for all the memories and everyone I've met and stayed in touch with through the years!!:):):):) This blog post has been a long time coming and it feels good to finally write it!!:):):):) I love my family dearly (my actual family now) and no one could ever replace them, this is not about replacing or trying to find a new family, that is not the purpose of this post!! But instead the purpose of this is to let those who also had/are having the same hard times right now with a divorce or something equally as scarring, that there are places out there that can bring joy into your life, that can make you feel a part of something wonderful, that can, for a moment, take your mind off whatever hardships you are going through and give you something to smile about again!!!:):):) Maybe it's not Shakopee Tennis, maybe it's not even sports related, whatever it is I do hope you find it some day and can have the same nostalgic feelings I am having right now, years later!!:):) For what is life if you have nothing to smile about and fill you with happiness?!?! I have my family, my Shakopee family, my Shakopee Tennis Family, my UMD family, my Woodstock family, and forever all will have a special place in my heart!!!:):):):) As I defined family in the very beginning, family is a group of people who care for one another, blood or non-blood related!! I love you dearly!!!:):):)
HAPPY SMILING AND LOVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
I can't believe another vacation in Minnesota has come to an end!!!!!! This one was definitely the hardest, as every time I come back to Minnesota it gets harder to say goodbye!!! Especially since I stepped on the court and actually did some games with the kids for the first time in 6 years!!!! I do some pretty long runs and bike rides now, so it gives me a chance to see other tennis programs during the day as I run/bike past them (since I have that freedom during the day as I am still not officially back with Shako tennis....YET)!!!!:):):):) But as I bike past them for those mere 15 seconds, I don't get the warmth and family like atmosphere I absolutely fell in love with my first summer with Shako Tennis back in 1992 (wow feeling old) and continued throughout my 17 years with the program as player, coach, and finally Assistant to the Director of Tennis!!!:):):) I guarantee that ANY 15 seconds throughout a lesson at Shakopee tennis will be an exciting, loud, energetic 15 seconds (minus water breaks and picking up balls, even though I did have some pretty exciting ball picking up moments)!!!! But with all that loudness and energy came a loving care from the coaches, wanting to see each and every single player succeed but more importantly LOVE the game of tennis!!!!:):):):) And we did this through fun and teaching how to have character on the court, not solely on winning!! If we could/can have players leave Shakopee Tennis with an amazing character on the court and love of the game, than we did our job!!!! And yes we had some wins along the way too!!!:):) AND A HECK OF A LOT OF FREE ICE WATER THANKS TO WALL DRUG!!!!:):):):)
I know my blog is still up on the STA website, so please do not think of this as a cheap plug for Shako tennis (even though every kid will absolutely LOVE being involved in it)!! This is merely a nostalgic moment for me as I'm heading out from Minnesota once again and reliving the moments of this summer and past summers!!!:):) Shakopee tennis was and will always be my family away from family!! I had some tough years as a kid going through a divorcing family, and as cheesy as it sounds Shakopee Tennis was my family away from family every single summer!! Still to this day, I keep in touch with those that helped me through those tough times!! It's definitely one of those feelings only those who have lived through a divorce will feel, not even my parents will understand as they didn't have to be a kid trying to understand what is happening and who to go to now!! But one thing I knew that would always be in my life was summer tennis and the pure joy and excitement that one can find on the courts every single day you're out there!!:):) Be it Wacky Wednesday or some crazy made up game I'm pretty sure only Shakopee players know!! Or even better yet, the moments after a lesson and everyone is just relaxing and talking under the Constenson stand or goofing around and not having to remember what some of us had to go back to in the real world!! For me Shakopee Tennis was and will always be my Emerald City/Field of Dreams/(sorry couldn't think of a tennis movie with a made up wonderful place)!! A place where for one single moment, all the hardships of life would melt away, and you're with people that care for you and are also there for one thing: fun!!!:):)
So as I am packed and ready to go back to India (which I am definitely looking forward to as always, as much as I love it here in Minnesota, Mussoorie is definitely becoming a 4th home), I think back to the wonderful times this summer being back on the court, ESPECIALLY with my daughter!! A future tennis player/coach?? Only time will tell on that one!! But as I was feeding See-Ya today for the 3rd time this summer, I couldn't help but think about next summer already and maybe being involved a little bit more again?!?! I know the last 3 previous summers I visited I was extremely hesitant on being involved, as I didn't know what emotions would come up and if that coaching "spark" would still be there!?!? Well on my final "Give Jenny a heat stroke" feed during See-Ya I knew that spark was still lit inside and I must say, next summer I think it's time to give it a little more oxygen!!!:):):) It's time!!!:):)
To my rock and support group growing up and my extended family, I thank you Shakopee Tennis for all the memories and everyone I've met and stayed in touch with through the years!!:):):):) This blog post has been a long time coming and it feels good to finally write it!!:):):):) I love my family dearly (my actual family now) and no one could ever replace them, this is not about replacing or trying to find a new family, that is not the purpose of this post!! But instead the purpose of this is to let those who also had/are having the same hard times right now with a divorce or something equally as scarring, that there are places out there that can bring joy into your life, that can make you feel a part of something wonderful, that can, for a moment, take your mind off whatever hardships you are going through and give you something to smile about again!!!:):):) Maybe it's not Shakopee Tennis, maybe it's not even sports related, whatever it is I do hope you find it some day and can have the same nostalgic feelings I am having right now, years later!!:):) For what is life if you have nothing to smile about and fill you with happiness?!?! I have my family, my Shakopee family, my Shakopee Tennis Family, my UMD family, my Woodstock family, and forever all will have a special place in my heart!!!:):):):) As I defined family in the very beginning, family is a group of people who care for one another, blood or non-blood related!! I love you dearly!!!:):):)
HAPPY SMILING AND LOVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
