From Court to Campus: How Tennis Shaped My Leadership Skills – A Personal Reflection
Before I stepped into formal leadership, I was learning to lead on a very different stage: the tennis court. To me, leadership is about composure under pressure, confident decision-making, and inspiring others through example. These qualities weren’t taught in a lecture hall; they were forged through sweat, setbacks, and long rallies across green, sometimes muddy, grass.
In tennis, every point demands a decision: go for the risky winner or play it safe, serve down the T or out wide. There is no pause button, only the courage to commit. Over time, I realised that what I was practising wasn’t merely technique – it was decision-making under pressure, emotional control, and the ability to reset after mistakes. Tennis didn’t just teach me how to play and win; it taught me how to think, adapt, and lead myself before leading others.
Research confirms this connection between sport and leadership. Athlete Leadership Development Within Teams: Current Understanding and Future Directions (Frontiers in Psychology, 2022) explains that leadership often emerges in moments where emotional, strategic, and decision-making factors collide. Those moments are etched in my memory: staying calm after a double fault, encouraging a doubles partner after a missed volley, or adjusting tactics mid-set. These experiences laid the foundations for my leadership: adaptability, resilience, and communication skills I carried long before I ever entered a meeting room.
Translating Tennis Lessons to LSST Roles
Today, I serve as both a Student Ambassador and Class Representative at LSST Luton, supporting students academically and socially. Whether I’m mentoring a student or rallying on the court, I experience the same spark: happiness surrounds me, and I enter what I call the “triple Fs” state – focused, fulfilled, and fully present.
One clear example of tennis-inspired thinking occurred at the LSST stall in Luton Mall. On my first day, everything clicked: I engaged prospective students confidently, showcased LSST’s offer, and felt in control. The next day, unexpected changes required me to reframe my pitch immediately. There were no timeouts – just like in a mid-rally shift. I improvised, adapted, and reshaped my approach on the spot, maintaining clarity and confidence. This was agile communication in action.
Research from the International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching (2022) shows that athletes develop adaptive communication and emotional regulation in competitive environments, exactly what I experienced in that real-time scenario.
Another moment came as a Class Representative during discussions on workload and deadlines. Tensions ran high, with students frustrated and staff balancing academic standards with wellbeing. It felt like a tie-break in a deciding set. Rather than reacting emotionally, I drew on emotional intelligence, as described by Goleman (2007): recognising my own feelings, reading the room, and responding in a way that connected rather than alienated. I listened carefully, summarised concerns, and communicated them respectfully to staff, while also helping peers understand the staff perspective. It was the same skill honed on the court: reading the “opponent,” anticipating reactions, and choosing the right shot—not to win against someone, but to advance the rally.
Academic Insights Supporting Leadership Through Sport
Resilience, empathy, and self-awareness are cornerstones of effective leadership, and research confirms their development through sport. Goleman’s work on emotional intelligence explains why certain decisions—on court and in leadership—felt instinctively “right”: they reflected deliberate management of emotions, perception of others, and alignment with values.
Similarly, Frontiers in Psychology (2022) highlights that leadership is not reserved for captains or star players; it emerges through communication, role-modelling, and supporting others under pressure. At LSST, leadership is not about titles—it’s about showing up for others, whether that means explaining policy changes, calming anxious students, or encouraging quieter classmates to contribute.
Sarkar and Page (2022, Journal of Sport Psychology in Action) further reinforce this point: resilience and perseverance developed in sport transfer directly into other domains. Losing a match and learning to reset is mirrored in academic leadership, where setbacks—low engagement in events, delayed policy changes, or unmet expectations—demand reflection, adaptability, and renewed effort.
The Emotional Core of Leadership
“You have to believe in yourself when no one else does—that makes you a winner right there.” – Venus Williams
Defeat is an inevitable part of tennis, and one match remains vivid in my memory. I was leading comfortably, then began making unforced errors. Confidence collapsed, and I lost not just the set but my composure. Walking off the court, I felt embarrassed, frustrated, and disappointed. It wasn’t simply losing; it was letting my own standards slip.
This experience taught me that resilience is not a motivational slogan – it is sitting with discomfort, acknowledging mistakes, and returning to the challenge anyway. Sarkar and Page (2022) describe this process as central to athlete development: facing, not avoiding, difficult moments.
Being a Class Representative echoes this. Not every plan succeeds, not every solution is a “match point.” Low engagement, unresponsive policies, or miscommunications are common. Yet, like in tennis, I’ve learned to reflect, adjust, and return with clarity and determination. As Billie Jean King reminds us, “Champions keep playing until they get it right.” Leadership, like tennis, is a series of rallies – some won, some lost – but all meaningful if you keep learning.
Philosophical Reflection
Tennis and student life share more than pressure and strategy; they teach sportsmanship, fairness, and ethics. On the court, you respect opponents, accept calls, and own mistakes. Off-court, this translates to treating classmates fairly, representing all voices, and being honest when you don’t have all the answers.
Leadership, like tennis, is not about controlling everything—it’s about controlling your mind and reactions. It is about anticipating, focusing, balancing ambition with humility, and competing without sacrificing integrity.
To my fellow LSST peers: find your own “court.” Embrace leadership in everything you do – sport, study, or student representation—and let these lessons guide you in the game of life.
And yes, sometimes, the most profound insights come not from a lecture hall or boardroom, but from a tennis court.
References
Cotterill, S. T., Loughead, T. M. & Fransen, K., 2022. Athlete Leadership Development Within Teams: Current Understanding and Future Directions. Frontiers in Psychology, Volume 13.
Goleman, D., 2007. Emotional Intelligence. 10th ed. New York: Bantam Books.
LTA, 2025. FAGE LTA Youth Tennis Leaders – Information for Coaches. [Online] Available at: https://www.lta.org.uk/roles-and-venues/coaches/products-and-programmes/lta-youth-tennis-leaders/ [Accessed 23 January 2026].
Sage, 2025. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching. Sage, 20(5).
Sarkar, M. & Page, A. E., 2022. Developing Individual and Team Resilience in Elite Sport: Research to Practice. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 13(1), pp. 40-53.
Williams, V., n.d.. AZQuotes. [Online] Available at: https://www.azquotes.com/quote/385531 [Accessed 23 January 2026].