Sweat drips out of every pore as I sum up the energy to chase down another fuzzy yellow ball. The humidity had just reached a hundred and the temperature was threatening to do the same. With trees to provide shade, the tennis courts had heated up like an oven (literally, for we had proven this fact by frying an egg on the ground). All around me were the people whom I felt I was closest to. While we were not all from the same background or even the same age, we were united for one purpose: to capture another Michigan State Tennis title for the eighth consecutive year in a row. Our team had a reputation to uphold, an expectation to succeed, and a dedication to this sport. Some may give up, refuse to put up with the overwhelming heat, while others may call us crazy for waking up so early and practicing four hours a day five days a week during what should have been our summer vacation, but I knew everyone on the team stayed because of their one passion. A passion for tennis. If you have not played on a competitive tennis team before it may seem an isolating sport; one player plays another player on opposite sides of the court. It may seem like there is little interaction going on; however, that is not the case. The mood of a single player on any given day can effect the mood of the entire team. Team coherence is an important aspect in staying mentally strong and winning. Furthermore, Tennis is split into singles and doubles matches. I play double which means that for an entire season, I am assigned to a partner. Throughout the year I get to know my partner very well. We play together in nearly every match and every practice during our two month long season. By the time the season is over we have learned each other's habits, both on the court and off. From these partnerships in the three years I have played high school tennis, I have formed some of the strongest bonds of friendship, which even tide over into other aspects of life. The very kids whom I practice intensely with also are the same group of kids whom I spend time with outside of school and extracurricular activities.