Sports Editor Alexander Robinson, a senior, practices groundstrokes with his father, Greg Robinson, at Bishop Park on Sept. 2, 2007. Robinson joined the Clarke Central High School varsity tennis team in Jan. 2018. Photo courtesy of Mona Robinson
Sports Editor Alexander Robinson has grown up with a commitment to athleticism.
I, for the record, don’t hate sports. I hated being forced to play one.
It started off simple enough. As soon as I was eligible, circa 2007, I would often find myself at the YMCA on Hawthorne Ave. My mom always wanted to make sure that my brother and I were staying active, and that meant that we ended up partaking in a number of after school programs over there.
Over the course of my elementary school years, I’d more often than not find myself on the “Y-bus.” Upon arrival, depending on the season, I’d either go to soccer, basketball or taekwondo practice. I enjoyed it back then, having more than enough energy to spend on any number of sports or activities.
Soon, however, it got tiring. As middle school began, I failed to see how my physical education or development could serve me. As my academics got more challenging, I became more and more resistant to the idea of having to play a sport.
My parents, however, saw things differently and continued to mandate that my brother and I stay active. It was always a part of their three-pronged approach for our development: do well in school, find a club to devote yourself to and play a sport.
As such, I’ve always stuck with it. While the sports have changed, from primarily soccer in middle school to tennis today, my commitment has remained steadfast. In fact, now that I am old enough to know of the importance of physical health, I appreciate my parents’ guidance in this area. It has gotten to the point where I have taken things into my own hands, maintaining a daily workout routine that I keep up during the off-season.
In short, I wasn’t always aware of it, but my parents truly had my best interest at heart when mandating that I continuously play a sport. And, hindsight being 20/20, I am thankful that they fought me those times I wished to quit.
