North Carolina State University Athletics
Sisterhood with Lauren: So Much More
10/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Pack Athletics
By Lauren Barry
Lauren is one of three seniors on this year's Wolfpack women's tennis team. Throughout the year, Allison, Lauren, and Agustina will be posting weekly blogs about what it is like to be a member of a Division I athletic team including personal insights on competition and experiences shared amongst the team. The blog's title, Sisterhood, has an important meaning to the team. Each player does not only consider themselves teammates but part of a sisterhood where they will learn to share four years of their lives with other student-athletes from all around the world who enjoy playing tennis and having the opportunity to be part of the Wolfpack.
Being a part of the tennis team is more than being a student-athlete. By taking this role, student-athletes become a role model and a leader for kids and adults alike. We have the opportunity to reach out to the community and make a change through this position. And our tennis team does just that.
On off-weekends and between practices and match times, our team is involved in various community service opportunities around the Raleigh area and neighboring counties.
One organization that we have become highly involved in is Special Olympics of Wake County. Every Monday during the fall semester, between 10 and 20 special Olympic athletes come to Carmichael tennis courts to practice and prepare for the Pre-qualifying and State Tennis Games competitions that are held in September and November respectfully.
In my freshman year, my sister Allison Barry, current senior Agustina Arechavaleta and I, went to these practices and helped teach the athletes the fundamentals of tennis as well as practice the skills that they would be performing in their competitions. Such skills includes: up-downs, volleys, serves, and groundstrokes. For the advanced athletes, match play is another area of practice and focus for them to work on.
In addition to these practices, about two to three times a year, our team hosts the athletes at our indoor facility for about two hours. Here we work on their skills and play games with the athletes.
Currently, Daria Petrovic has been going to the practices every Monday.
In September four of our teammates went to the Qualifying rounds and on November 4-5 we will be traveling to High Point for the State Games. Athletes that perform well here at States will move on to Nationals.
Throughout these past four years our friendship with these athletes have grown. One athlete in particular that we have grown very close to is Stuart Goodmyn.
Goodmyn has been a part of Special Olympics of Wake County for two years but tennis has been a part of his life since he was a child. Being exposed to it through his family and by the media, he has gained a great love and respect for the sport. Goodmyn says that he is “grateful” to be playing tennis and being in an atmosphere with NCSU student-atheltes, faculty, and students helping him improve his game. “It feels good to participate in tennis. It is a wonderful experience”
Last year in the State Games, Goodmyn participated in the skills events in which he earned the gold medal. This year he is hoping to join the athletes in match play. He is very competitive when he gets out on the court and has confidence that he will do well with the opportunity to join this advanced group.
With Goodmyn and all of the other athletes that we have coached and mentored over the past three years, we are appreciative for the opportunity to learn from them.
Together our teammates, coaches and I feel that we perform at our best when we are able to give back to our community in some way. It gives us a chance to help others through sports and encourage others to pursue their passions in whatever avenue they may be interested in and to do so with the company of friends and family.
Lauren is one of three seniors on this year's Wolfpack women's tennis team. Throughout the year, Allison, Lauren, and Agustina will be posting weekly blogs about what it is like to be a member of a Division I athletic team including personal insights on competition and experiences shared amongst the team. The blog's title, Sisterhood, has an important meaning to the team. Each player does not only consider themselves teammates but part of a sisterhood where they will learn to share four years of their lives with other student-athletes from all around the world who enjoy playing tennis and having the opportunity to be part of the Wolfpack.
Being a part of the tennis team is more than being a student-athlete. By taking this role, student-athletes become a role model and a leader for kids and adults alike. We have the opportunity to reach out to the community and make a change through this position. And our tennis team does just that.
On off-weekends and between practices and match times, our team is involved in various community service opportunities around the Raleigh area and neighboring counties.
One organization that we have become highly involved in is Special Olympics of Wake County. Every Monday during the fall semester, between 10 and 20 special Olympic athletes come to Carmichael tennis courts to practice and prepare for the Pre-qualifying and State Tennis Games competitions that are held in September and November respectfully.
In my freshman year, my sister Allison Barry, current senior Agustina Arechavaleta and I, went to these practices and helped teach the athletes the fundamentals of tennis as well as practice the skills that they would be performing in their competitions. Such skills includes: up-downs, volleys, serves, and groundstrokes. For the advanced athletes, match play is another area of practice and focus for them to work on.
In addition to these practices, about two to three times a year, our team hosts the athletes at our indoor facility for about two hours. Here we work on their skills and play games with the athletes.
Currently, Daria Petrovic has been going to the practices every Monday.
In September four of our teammates went to the Qualifying rounds and on November 4-5 we will be traveling to High Point for the State Games. Athletes that perform well here at States will move on to Nationals.
Throughout these past four years our friendship with these athletes have grown. One athlete in particular that we have grown very close to is Stuart Goodmyn.
Goodmyn has been a part of Special Olympics of Wake County for two years but tennis has been a part of his life since he was a child. Being exposed to it through his family and by the media, he has gained a great love and respect for the sport. Goodmyn says that he is “grateful” to be playing tennis and being in an atmosphere with NCSU student-atheltes, faculty, and students helping him improve his game. “It feels good to participate in tennis. It is a wonderful experience”
Last year in the State Games, Goodmyn participated in the skills events in which he earned the gold medal. This year he is hoping to join the athletes in match play. He is very competitive when he gets out on the court and has confidence that he will do well with the opportunity to join this advanced group.
With Goodmyn and all of the other athletes that we have coached and mentored over the past three years, we are appreciative for the opportunity to learn from them.
Together our teammates, coaches and I feel that we perform at our best when we are able to give back to our community in some way. It gives us a chance to help others through sports and encourage others to pursue their passions in whatever avenue they may be interested in and to do so with the company of friends and family.
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