My Check Your Game story is slightly different. There is not really something about my life that I didn’t like and therefore changed course but rather I feel as though my sports background helped play a vital role when we had twin babies in the NICU. The skill set I learned while training to become a professional athlete really helped during those trying times…relaxation techniques, battling fatigue and managing stress, problem solving etc…all of those skills that I learned as an athlete really helped me deal with that situation.
My Advice
If I could give advice to a current athlete it would be to not take winning and losing so seriously when you are younger. There is so much time wasted on stressing about losing, whether or not you are training correctly, competing, etc. and if you can take a step back and really just enjoy the battle and the growing process your athletic life will be much more fun!
Kristy, thanks for sharing. I remember meeting you a long time ago around 2000 or 2001. I think you called me to network through the Vanderbilt Athletics program and we soon became friends. Not only did I get to know who you are as a person which is a very nice lady, smiley, friends of many, but also I got to know a bit about you as an athlete and competitor in tennis. Though it’s been years since I’ve seen you, I’ve always liked you and appreciated our friendship. When I first started Check Your Game, I asked you a few questions about it. You told me a few things such as ‘Check Your Game is more than winning and losing. You mentioned that the brand seems to represent the values that make people successful and respected on and off the field. You also said it encompasses the most important aspects of succeeding in life such as attitude, determination, focus and discipline.’ All those things are very true and as I read your story, I was thinking about your time in your life when you were facing not just something as simple as a win or loss on the court, but something much more valuable and that was when your twins were in the NICU. Now I didn’t exactly know what that all was about but after educating myself, I realize that when a family has their kids there, it’s not a simple matter. Your story is much more than a Check Your Game moment when some people hit a wall and change course! You hit this wall that was unwarranted, not anyone’s fault but yet instead of being angry, stressed or doing nothing about it, you broke through that wall in order for you and your family to get through this time by using those same skills you learned as an athlete. Now that’s what Check Your Game is all about! Thanks again for your transparency and sharing a piece of your story and as I see pictures of your kids, it’s great to know that everyone is doing well!