Brittany Burgunder
March 8, 2020
March 8, 2020 “It’s a miracle that I’m holding a racquet. When I was 6 years old, my dad introduced me to the sport and I quickly fell in love with the game. Soon tennis turned into a way to escape my reality. I was constantly bullied at school and I developed terrible anxiety and depression. I tried to raise my low self-esteem by being the best at everything, including tennis. My need for perfection turned into insanity. I told myself that I had to be the #1 professional player in the world, or else I was a failure. My talent was noticed by many coaches and I was recruited to join a top tennis academy. Physically I was good, but my opportunities were ruined as I mentally self-destructed, resulting in an eating disorder when I was 13. I continued to play tennis, but any dreams of playing competitively shrank with every pound I lost. I hid behind a fake smile hoping no one would know my secret struggles, but that didn’t last long. I was forced to leave my freshman year of college due to the severity of my anorexia. My weight fell to 56 pounds and my parents
March 8, 2020 “It’s a miracle that I’m holding a racquet. When I was 6 years old, my dad introduced me to the sport and I quickly fell in love with the game. Soon tennis turned into a way to escape my reality. I was constantly bullied at school and I developed terrible anxiety and depression. I tried to raise my low self-esteem by being the best at everything, including tennis. My need for perfection turned into insanity. I told myself that I had to be the #1 professional player in the world, or else I was a failure. My talent was noticed by many coaches and I was recruited to join a top tennis academy. Physically I was good, but my opportunities were ruined as I mentally self-destructed, resulting in an eating disorder when I was 13. I continued to play tennis, but any dreams of playing competitively shrank with every pound I lost. I hid behind a fake smile hoping no one would know my secret struggles, but that didn’t last long. I was forced to leave my freshman year of college due to the severity of my anorexia. My weight fell to 56 pounds and my parents