North Carolina State University Athletics
'Dream ... Dream Real Big' (10/23/08)
10/24/2008 12:00:00 AM | Pack Athletics
Diana Mortlock is a freshman tennis player from Dordrecht,
A few weekends ago, the women’s tennis team participated in the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Invitational in
Coming from
Being able to compete at Flushing Meadows was such a great experience on its own, but there was another surprise awaiting the Wolfpack during our visit to
The day at the courts on Sunday was a long day and we were contemplating rather just going back to the hotel and skipping another night in
Ilana called me at about 9 p.m. that night to say that her flight had just landed. It turned out that she lived very close to where we were having dinner, which meant we would be able to go over and meet both Ilana and, yes, Billie Jean King, the greatest professional women’s player of all time.
I wish I had taken a video of everyone’s expressions when I informed them that we’d been invited to go and chill with two tennis champions. Our energy levels went from about 0 to 100. Having played all day Sunday and finishing late that afternoon, we didn’t have time to shower and change. We had gone “stinky-style” to
It was hilarious.
I don’t think any of us knew what to expect. What would she be like? What should we say? So many questions were flying through the air during the short drive, which felt like hours, to the apartment. But there was no need to worry Ilana and Billie Jean were both so down-to-earth and laid back. The conversation was natural, as though we’d known them for years.
Billie Jean was so inspirational. Even though she had been travelling for the past few days, doing interviews and auctions to raise money for underprivileged athletes non-stop, she still took the time to meet with us and give us a quick motivational session. She encouraged us to get the mindset of using our talents and gifts in order to give back to those less privileged than ourselves. She said that we need to get informed about what’s going on around us so that we will know how we can make a positive difference.
For me, it was a life-changing experience to have such an opportunity. A few of my teammates felt the same thing.
“What an honor it was to of met the two most ground-breaking and motivating women’s tennis players in history,” said Pender Sessoms, another freshman on the team. “Ilana Kloss and Billie-Jean King are real heroes for this sport.”
Said Daria Petrovic, a junior from
And senior Neils Barringer added: “Getting to talk with Billie Jean King was an amazing experience I will never forget. Getting to speak to her about how women athletes can make such an impact was inspiring. She told us to dream, dream real big - words I won't forget.”
For me, meeting Billie Jean King was awesome, a memory I will always treasure. I am so glad that I could take my teammates along to share the experience.
