Tennis Camp

• Austin Tai, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2007

It was a fine summer’s day. The sun had broken through the clouds and now was shining ever so brightly. My mum and dad had went through days and days of begging, bribery, and threatening just to get me into this stupid tennis camp. I served up the ball the ball and started a rally with Scott(my partner). He’s practically the only thing good about the camp! We had to be matched boy-girl. “Come on!” he said. He’s heaps better than me. I’m a beginner. He’s an expert. The 4th best player in the camp. But I won’t stay a beginner. I’ll soon become heaps better! It’s just it’s so hard. You have to follow this crummy training regimen. Hit 50 balls from the tennis machine without missing one! That’s impossible!

I started to go into my lob-drop shot style. This was the style that let me actually win a point against Scott. And the style that let him win over a million times. But still, I like those odds!

After a day of gruelling tennis, trying the tennis machine, and combing my knowledge of flight wit top spin and back spin, finally, after 10 long hours, I went back to my cabin. I saw the butterflies flutter in the twilight and the moonlight glisten dimly. I remembered how my first day had been so much more devilish. I felt like I was going to die! That was the day when I first was paired up with Scott. And the day I first saw how good he was. I hope to get as good as him. One day.

The next day me and Scott went to play doubles. We’re the second best team already! We were going up against the best team Andrew and Rachel so we could be the best team ever! We’d even get a trophy! (If you want to know, Andrew and Rachel are the two best players in the camp)

The coach said some weird things about tennis, and the game was on. I served, as usual. I may be bad but I have the best serve in the camp! Damn it! I almost landed an ace! Anyway, Scott went into the lead and I backed him up. These guys were tough! It was one set each. It was mainly Scott who got the points, but I did get in a few shots in. It was match point. Deuce. Advantage us. We started a rally. The ball was like a blur. I felt like I was the worst player in the world compared to these guys. Thank god Scott was here. The ball spun around Scott and came to me. Crud! I did a quick dive shot as it blurred past me. It spun past Andrew, and Rachel got it. A lob. Oh no. I fully went past Scott. To tell you the truth, I can’t smash. I forehanded it. It spun, spun, and we won! We got a trophy. Maybe the camp wasn’t so bad.