Colby Grey
August 18, 2020
“Tennis was never supposed to be my crutch in life, but I was forced to lean on it throughout the ups and downs of my life. Up until nine, I was a designated baseball batter, but I wanted to hit the ball more than a handful of times. It never seemed to click, that was until I found tennis and I fell head over heels for the sport. I grew up in a small town; to play at the top level you had to travel every weekend, and that’s exactly what I did. But, tennis became difficult to continue after my health took a turn for the worst. Constant nausea and abdominal pain sidelined me, and eventually, I was diagnosed with Gastroparesis, a paralysis of the stomach, along with numerous health issues. I had multiple surgeries and, after a long recovery, began back on the grind.My dad and I grew immensely close traveling to tournaments, and I got up to 188 in the nation. But, when it seemed like I was at the peak of my tennis career, life threw a curveball at me; my dad was killed by an intoxicated driver. Numb from the shock, tennis went from a
“Tennis was never supposed to be my crutch in life, but I was forced to lean on it throughout the ups and downs of my life. Up until nine, I was a designated baseball batter, but I wanted to hit the ball more than a handful of times. It never seemed to click, that was until I found tennis and I fell head over heels for the sport. I grew up in a small town; to play at the top level you had to travel every weekend, and that’s exactly what I did. But, tennis became difficult to continue after my health took a turn for the worst. Constant nausea and abdominal pain sidelined me, and eventually, I was diagnosed with Gastroparesis, a paralysis of the stomach, along with numerous health issues. I had multiple surgeries and, after a long recovery, began back on the grind.My dad and I grew immensely close traveling to tournaments, and I got up to 188 in the nation. But, when it seemed like I was at the peak of my tennis career, life threw a curveball at me; my dad was killed by an intoxicated driver. Numb from the shock, tennis went from a