Those Who Came Before
It is far too easy to live in the here and now, wrapped up in our own problems with our own life, paying little attention to those around us let alone to those who came before.
I was just reading an article about Florida State’s annual “Champions Beyond the Game” brunch. Each year, two female graduates are selected to be honored for their successes during their time as a Florida State athlete and also for their experiences beyond college.
This year’s honorees include alumnae Mollie Carroll Cardamone and Jaime Kaplan. A 1983 graduate, Kaplan was the first player in the history of Florida State’s tennis program to qualify for the NCAA Championships.
When I read that, it made me start thinking. Thinking about all the people who came before and paved the way for where I am today. From the town I live in to the technology I have access to – it’s all thanks to those who came before.
It’s easy to get caught up in the 140 mph serves of today’s tennis game, of the glitz and glamour of the hype and press surrounding our tennis stars of the 21st-century. But you can bet they wouldn’t be here, in the capacity that they are, if it hadn’t been for the players who came before.
