Note: If you happen to know Coach John Sabau, please do not share this article with him before October 3rd. It is intended as a surprise for his birthday.

Two years ago, I was looking for a new tennis coach, and a friend recommended a Mr. John Sabau. Not knowing what to expect, I stepped onto the court for a trial lesson. After a brief exchange of words, I knew that this person would be quite interesting to work with and decided that this is who I wanted my tennis coach to be. Despite getting off to a rocky start, I realized what an amazing teacher he was. However, what Coach John had to offer was much more than lessons about how to make contact in front of me or toss the ball higher when I serve, he taught me lessons about life.

When I first met Coach John, I was a small 12 year old girl who didn't have a lot of self-esteem. A combination of that and my lacking confidence made a six-and-a-half foot man who's every other sentence was sarcastic very intimidating. After my first lesson, I was quite apprehensive of what my time with this coach would be like. Little did I know, going to tennis would become my favorite part of the week because of him. After about a month, I saw improvements in my game and I opened up more; this being one of the many examples of how Coach John has helped me grow as a person. As my shyness drifted away, I learned to become a better competitor and discover my "K. I." or killer instinct. Not only did my tennis improve as a result of this, I started being able to assert myself, when needed, to get what I wanted, instead of constantly being nice and giving way to others' needs. There are countless opportunities I would have lost if it wasn't for this important lesson. Things like this have made me a more confident person who trusts and believes in herself more. Coach John has made me someone who takes pride in what they do, but still strives to be better.

Throughout the years and many, many practices I've learned some of life's most valuable lessons. Coach John has taught me to respect others but also not to let them walk over you. I've learned to work hard for what I want, but not to get frustrated and give up if I am not achieving the results I desire. I've understood what the word sorry really means: a promise to change. But the most important thing I've learned during this time is that the summer of 2014 was one of the biggest moments of my life. It was during that summer that I met someone that inspires me every day and has come to be like a second father to me. Happy Birthday, Coach John!