Bad Sportsmanship or Taking Control?

Listening to soothing spa music on my way back from Brooklyn yesterday, I felt like I was in total control. I had a good day at work; my client liked my website design, told me how great I was, finally paid me, and for a change, the traffic on the BQE was actually moving! And that forecast of rain; also not happening. Not a drop of rain in sight. Nothing but beautiful blue sky and sunshine. Yeah, this is a good day to play a tennis match!

I got home at 4:30, got in the shower, and then I heard the phone ring.........I jumped out, dripping wet, and answered the phone. It was Lisa. Her daughter is sick; throwing up. She thinks she has Coxsackie. Ok, ok, let me see if I can find someone else to play for you. As I'm hanging up the phone my 12 year old daughter walks into my bedroom with her girl friend (who I have never met), and they both scream in unison when they see my 48 year old NAKED dripping wet body. Poor girl, she's going to have nightmares. I'm losing that sense of control.....

I quickly get dressed, send out an email to the team looking for a warm body with a tennis racket, then make a few calls. I finally get Joy to sign on, call Kathleen to talk about who should play with who and we come up with a line-up. I quickly put together my tennis bag with all my various splints, wraps, braces and ointments, then head out the door.

I get to Saw Mill and see a friend who stops me to comment on the cute skirt I have on. But it looks backwards....crap! No wonder I felt uncomfortable! I run into the bathroom and yes, this pleated, tiered, layered, over-designed piece of junk Nike has produced is backward. Jeez, it's already 5:45. At least I remembered the beer - but then realize I have forgotten the guacamole. At this point, I know I've lost control, but just don't want to admit it. I tell myself it's no big deal. Cathleen, you got a team together, the opponents are in last place, how hard could it be?

We start the warm-up, the other captain tells me one of her players is stuck in traffic, and will be a "little" late. Ok, not problem. At 6:15, I tell the other captain we want to default the match if she's not here in 5 minutes. They tell me she is here, she's just changing. It's 6:25, and Joanna wants to take the default. The other team calls the player, she's not answering. I tell them we are defaulting the match. They tell me I am a bad sportsman. Ouch!

We start our matches, and sure enough, "late girl" walks around the corner ready to play. I stop playing my match, walk over and tell her the match is defaulted that she was supposed to be here at 6:00. Ok, she and Joanna are going to go hit anyway. The girls we are playing are mad at me and are giving me the evil eye. I don't care, I'm in control!

Then my match starts and I realize, these ladies are pretty good. Even though they are in last place, this game is not going to be a walk in the park. Ann and I haven't played a match together before, but we do our best. As she told me later, Ann plays a steady game and I make the impressive shots. But I also hit a lot into the net. And out. I can't stop thinking about them calling me a bad sport....did I do the right thing? Should I have let them play the match late? Last time I did that we lost the match. But am I a bad sport? I don't want to be a bad sport....I want people to think I'm a good sport....I hope my daughter's friend isn't permanently damaged.....I hit another ball into the net. We lose the first set 6-4.

The second set I tell myself to stop thinking about all this stuff and just hit the yellow ball! I charge the net, smash overheads and Ann is working so hard she's grunting. Yes, I said grunting.....she's a tough cookie when she's mad. We were up 4-1, but kept the pressure on, and eventually win the set 6-3. Ok, now I'm in control! We start the super-tie break, and are up, down, up, down, up, then they pull ahead and beat us 10-7. Now I have to admit to myself I am definitely NOT in control......

I find out our first doubles duo, Gale and Karen have won their match 6-3, 6-3. That makes them 5-0 for the season! Wow, they are a really good team. But Gale is leaving in a week.....what are we going to do? I really do have NO control at all!!!!!

After some self-doubt in her second set, Tanya wins her match (YES!!!) 6-2, 5-7, 1-0. I knew she could do it! With that serve, that blistering forehand, (and no partner to get in her way), how could she not? Congrats Tanya! You, my dear, are in control!

I purposely did not look at what was going in beside me at second doubles, but it appeared that Kathleen and Joy were struggling against a tough team. Last night, last place did not mean a sure win, and the other team proved that by defeating, Kat at Joy 6-2, 6-0. A big thank you to Joy for coming in at the last minute to play! Tonight you both get to play with your regular partners, and I'm sure things will go much better.

So after all the mishaps, changes, name calling and misunderstandings, our team pulled out a 3-2 win over the NYAC Junos. Maybe I do have some control over life after all!