There’s something special about the word “dynasty” in sports. Mentioning the word conjures up images of great teams from the past: Bill Russell’s Celtics, Bill Walsh’s 49ers — all-time legendary squads that captured championship after championship. And when I jumped out of bed Sunday morning, I knew it was going to be a special day. I knew I was going to have the opportunity to witness a dynasty at work.
Besides, I love tennis.
I’m sorry if you think I was referring to the New England Patriots, but the stats don’t lie. As of last Sunday morning, the Patriots had won three of the last six Super Bowls. That’s certainly nothing to sneeze at — except when you realize the BU women’s tennis team has won 14 consecutive America East titles.
Take that and put it in your hoodie pocket, Little Bill.
Tennis, the last sport I played on a competitive level before realizing athletics isn’t my strong suit, will always have its own special place in my sports smorgasbord. As far as the smorgasbord reference is concerned, tennis is the approximate equivalent of liver: there’s a small, but dedicated, population of people who genuinely enjoy each, but most people relegate both to the fringes of their respective categories.
Tennis deserves better. It’s a fun sport that requires agility, intelligence and focus while providing excitement and drama.
We’re all familiar with Division I sports on the large stage: basketball and football teams playing in front of legions of fans, players insulated from the experience of “normal” college life and hordes of media treating student-athletes like superstars. Viewed through that lens, the world of mid-major tennis appears downright alien. Here, there are no ball boys, no video cameras and no line judges. Only a narrow sliver of green separates one court from the next. The women approach the net before each match, spinning a racket to determine who serves first. A single photographer crouches nearby, ready to capture moments few others would share.
The low-key atmosphere has its perks though, particularly for the fans. The barriers that separate fan from athlete in big-time D-I sports aren’t present in women’s tennis. After matches, members of both teams sit in the stands and watch their teammates perform. The usual perceived distance between spectator and participant — real or imagined — is dissolved.
Stripped of any and all pomp and circumstance, women’s tennis is a great example of what amateur athletics should be about. None of the Terriers are destined for WTA careers. College tennis isn’t a TV sport. Nothing about tennis provides for campus-wide debate. Tennis at this level isn’t about attaining fame or glory. It’s about competition, effort and maximizing potential. It’s about the team. It’s about having a passion for the game.
Passion and effort are reflected in performance, and the Terriers performed to expectations, notching a 6-1 victory over the University of Maryland-Baltimore County. More impressive than the score, however, was the manner in which the BU women competed. The Terriers displayed a surprising variety of skills on the court: powerful passing shots down the line, precise strikes on baseline groundstrokes, strategically-timed lobs and drop shots.
The poise with which the Terriers dispatched their opposition was special to witness, particularly when freshman Vanessa Steiner took the momentum from a competitive first set in her singles match to run away with a comfortable win in her America East debut.
Two dynasties competed Sunday. When examining what motivates each, are their respective results really such a surprise? Should anyone be surprised that a team playing for eternal fame would lack the motivation and fire that fuels a champion?
The Patriots had all the stats, all the Pro Bowlers and all the attention — but none of those are worth playing for in the end. The BU women play for their team, for the sake of playing. In the end, sports are about love of the game, whether the game in question is football, tennis or anything else.
If you ever find yourself wondering what it is that made you love sports in the first place, head down to the Track and Tennis Center on Ashford St. and find yourself a seat — there should be plenty available. What you’ll find is not a “team of the ages” or a world-renowned level of competition. If you want world-class ability, turn on ESPN.
No, instead you’ll see desire, effort and genuine enthusiasm. You will find the elements that define sport, untainted by false ambition or delusions of grandeur.
Yes, if you go to the TTC to watch the women’s tennis team, you will see them play tennis. Yes, that is all that you’ll see.
Isn’t that the point?
Matt Whitrock, a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences, is a weekly columnist for The Daily Free Press. He can be reached at [email protected].
