Reflection

What did you enjoy about this project?

I really enjoyed learning as much as I did about the history of the tennis program. I knew there was a very rich tennis history at Trinity but now I know exactly what it was and how big the program used to be.

What surprised you about this project?

I was surprised by the incredibly small amount of information Trinity's athletics website has about the Division I team. The players and coaches have descriptions about themselves and thier successes but the overall records just barely show the 1972 National Championship.

What was the most challenging aspect of the project and how did you handle it?

The most challenging part was actually finding information about the short period between when the majority of Trinity's teams switched to the SCAC and the tennis program stayed competing at the D1 level. I worked around it by just analyzing the periods up to and right after it.

If you could start over what would you do differently?

I would probably have lined up interviews early and often so I wasn't all stressed about writing the paper later. Getting interviews would have made the writing process much easier. 

What did you learn about history and the historical process through this process?

I learned that each event gets further and further defined by another. For example, the 1972 National Championship was an amazing feat but why? It was a combination of a player that multiple other schools passed on, a legendary coach, and the fact that winning it took the school from ground zero to cloud 9.

What did you learn through this project that can be applied to life outside the classroom?

I learned that pushing large assignments to the last minute can make your life very stressful. So I will not be doing that in my professional life nor personal. Even though as of right now I have to pack everything in my room before I leave campus at 7...