Oklahoma Bible Acadamy’s Ashley Miller has a passion for tennis. Ashley is a junior at Oklahoma Bible and she has been playing tennis for five years, three of which she has been playing competitively.

She has many achievements that have come with her tennis career. So far. “We played one doubles my freshman year, and my partner and I won fifth place at State in 4A. In my sophomore year, I placed fifth at State in one singles.”

She was first introduced to tennis in the sixth grade. “In sixth grade, there were only five girls playing tennis for our school team. A friend of ours asked me to play because she thought I had the athleticism to do well playing tennis. Initially, I had no intention of playing tennis and told my mom “I hate it!, I love high jump!” But thankfully, she persevered and convinced me to play…I’ve never stopped playing since.”

“I enjoy the individuality of tennis because all the pressure is on you. Every choice is your own, and it is up to you to adjust your own game and be prepared for every shot.”

In her five years of tennis, she has learned about the importance of perseverance and persistence. “Tennis has taught me about controlling what you can in uncontrollable situations. As a tennis player, you can’t control what the player across the net does, but only your own game and attitude. You control your shots and need to be mentally tough after making mistakes.”

Ashley is a leader and assumes a prominent leadership role within the team.”

I work hard to raise the bar of excellent performance. At the number one singles spot, it is my job to be our team’s leader in every aspect. This means I need to encourage my teammates and help them do their best and set the standard for work ethic and dedication. I want all of us to succeed.”