Personal Statement
My name is Leila O’Brien and Tennis has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I can’t imagine not playing it. It has made me very resilient because it is a very mentally challenging game. You are all alone on the court and you must learn to never give up and figure out how to fix your mistakes immediately without spiraling. However, there are other aspects of my life that make me who I am. I am from The Bahamas (of mixed race - Black, Indian and Guyanese) and I am happy that I am because I love the beach. It is a very relaxing place for me to just have fun and wash the day away. The courts that I practice on have a beach right next to it, so I see the water everyday while I’m practicing. It is a very big serotonin boost for me. Unfortunately, Tennis is not appreciated very much in my country. It doesn’t get a lot of funding and there aren't a lot of tournaments, especially when you compare it to sports like Track & Field, Swimming and Basketball, where The Bahamas has a large number of world class athletes. One of my coaches is on the professional circuit for men and I’m very grateful to be coached by him. It is unfortunate that this beautiful sport that I love so much is not loved by the country that I come from. I hope one day I can help to bring awareness of all the great tennis athletes in The Bahamas.
Aside from this, I enjoy Arts in various forms. My favorite style is Painting, although I don’t practice it as often as I would like to. I’m also in the process of learning how to Crochet. My goal for that is to learn how to make clothes, but for right now I’m starting with blankets. It has become a very relaxing and enjoyable hobby for me. It helps me to calm my mind while I watch movies, television and even videos for school. I find these hobbies to be a good way to stay creative and keep my imagination active, which is something I have always valued. An active imagination can even assist with strategy in Tennis. It allows you to continue having fun on the court by thinking of new and exciting ways to execute the game. All of these creative outlets have led me towards studying Filmmaking in college. Lately, I have been leaning towards the producing or directing side of the industry. When I go to college, I look forward to letting all of my tennis teammates see the movies I make, some of which might even be about the sport! @leilaob_tennis
