What makes you want to work harder? Is it the reaction you get from your parents after playing a game, or the feeling of relief you get after turning in missing assignments? All of these feelings make you want to work harder. For the Arlington High School tennis team, it’s beads.
“My biggest goal is to get as many beads as we can, because every time we win we get these little tennis beads that you can put on the laces of your shoes. So, I want a lot.This year I think I got like eight, maybe ten,” said jv tennis player McKenzie Bullock (‘29).
This rewards the tennis players after a great win and makes them want to work hard during the game so they can get the feeling of accomplishment when it’s over. They all have something to look forward to after a win.
“The hardest thing about tennis is probably the mental side of it, because especially for singles players, you’re not allowed to talk to anybody, and you just have to work through your mistakes by yourself and try to come back from them,” said varsity player Kara Glassman (‘26).
Tennis is a hard sport mentally you have only yourself or one other person to lift you up when you’re down and it can be hard to bring someone else up if you’re in a mental slump also. Having reminders like the beads is good motivation, looking down when they are playing to see how much they have done and what is to come.
“[With the beads] you can see what you’ve done in the past and so you know you can do it. It’s like, again, the mental side. It’s kind of proof of you telling yourself that you’re able to win,” said Glassman.
The beads are a great reminder for everyone to work hard, win or lose so they have this thing they can hold with them forever. Looking back when they are older, they will get to remember all the great memories they had on the team and all the fun wins they made.
“The mental aspect when you’re losing is difficult, but I would say that’s really it,” said Bullock.
The beads can help with the mental aspect because if you’re having a bad game, looking down at your shoe laces can be a reminder that you can do this and helps get out of the mental block.
“It was my mom’s idea because she was a head coach at Stanwood for years and so she gave me all of her beads when she retired,” said AHS tennis coach Ms. Dailer.
The beads are a good reminder of all the achievements the girls had done. Everytime they tie up their laces they have a reason why they should win. It brings everyone joy and it’s something to remember high school tennis forever.
“The beads are so fun. It helps me to get motivated because when we get wins we get a bead and then everyone puts them on their shoelaces and then you can count how many wins you’ve had. It’s really fun,” said jv tennis player Mikaela Harrington (‘29).
Asking around, I hear from multiple tennis players that the beads really inspire them and make them feel good to look and see all the accomplishments they did from the current seasons or past.
“[Tennis is] really fun and light-hearted. The coaches [say] it’s not that competitive as other sports. Yeah, like they tell you just to have fun and it’s all about learning and trying your best, and it really is,” said Bullock.
