Tennis Magazine Presents... The Heroes Issue

You know, sometimes, in the middle of tech weeks and college applications and general business, the universe throws you a bone. This time, it was my dad's magazine subscription. For those who don't have family members obsessed with tennis and didn't come home to see the Tennis Magazine's "Heroes Issue" on the kitchen table, here's an overview.

For some context, here's a quote the edition uses to describe itself:
"In the world of tennis, the heroes are not just the Grand Slam champions and the game's biggest stars. There are heroes who come from the most unexpected places. They are the pioneers of wheelchair tennis, local leaders who use the sport to give back to the community and players who find a way to enjoy the game no matter their age or ability. Our special annual issue salutes those who inspire us to achieve more than we thought we were capable of. These extraordinary individuals show us that the game is a place where anyone can be a champion and a hero."
And here's a quote the magazine uses on its cover:
"The definition of the hero in American culture is the one who by accident or destiny gets knocked down, and gets up again." - Jean-Pierre Limborg

So it's interesting to see who gets written about. The edition starts off with some one-page pieces about family members (grandparents who introduced their grandchildren to tennis, parents who coach and encourage but never push, etc.), but this is only an appetizer to the real meat of the issue. The first cluster of articles highlights various people involved in the wheelchair tennis community (the inventors, the top athletes, etc.). The theme of this is overcoming, exemplified in this quote (which goes back to the Limborg quote):

"My life was at a standstill as my MS worsened exponentially by the day. I barely left the house. I had to stop all sports; I couldn't stand up without a walker. I had turned 50 and I was considering throwing in the towel. I confided in my family that this way my intention. Not in a jump-off-the-Brooklyn Bridge way, but in a final-party, say-farewell, down-some-pills-and-end-my-misery way. All I wanted was to be involved in a sport; my mind and my soul thrive on it. I hadn't even heard of wheelchair tennis. I didn't care if I had to learn a new sport, I needed something to help me choose to live." -- Terri Ferraro

The edition also includes an article about a woman who won a "Deaflympics" medal. "I hope people understand that they can do anything they put their mind to. Don't let anyone say, 'You can't do that,'" she says. Other people are working to "grow the remarkable sport of blind tennis -- and show how tennis is truly a game anyone can play." Disabilities aren't the only obstacles, though -- the magazine also highlights the struggles and successes of minorities and seniors.

Another subject is a man who began programs to help underprivileged kids through tennis. An interesting part of this is the way he's described -- the article begins with, "To hear Arthur Goldblatt modestly tell it..." before describing all the things he's achieved as "serendipitous." "Art Goldblatt is a Connecticut saint," someone else says. "He's a very humble, elegant guy who never wants credit. He's inspired all of us." I think we've talked about this a bit before -- the idea that heroes are supposed to downplay their role & be very modest -- and this exemplifies that.

There are a lot of other articles about spreading tennis, including several other programs for kids as well as veterans sharing the sport with other veterans and a program that pairs up disabled and able-bodied athletes to play. 92-year-old Dick Walther is described as "[personifying] everything that's great about our sport. He is generous, fair, positive and energetic. He turns himself inside out to give back to the community." Someone else says, "Dick truly embodies what it means to be an advocate for our sport. Thanks to his efforts on and off the court, thousands of players of all ages and abilities have been able to enjoy the sport of a lifetime."

So, that's the hero issue of the Tennis Magazine. I did think it was interesting the way the many articles and profiles fell into the same two categories -- spreading the joy of tennis (&helping people through that) and personally overcoming adversity to play tennis. Widen the definition a bit and you get someone who either overcomes adversity to achieve something, or someone who spreads happiness (usually on a larger scale), especially to people who face adversity. Interesting to keep these examples in mind re: the hero figures we've seen in this course.