Danny’s First Tournament
Danny is playing in her first tennis tournament against a much better opponent.
Danny had practised for months. Today was her first tennis tournament. As she stepped onto the court, her hands were sweaty and her heart was thumping. Across the net stood Arlo, the club champion.
‘Just play your game,’ said her coach, Ella the elephant. ‘Enjoy it.’ Danny nodded. She bounced the ball three times, tossed it high, and served. THWACK! It flew over the net.
Arlo was fast and strong. Point after point went to Arlo. Danny lost the first set, 6-3. She wanted to cry. But in the second set, she took a deep breath and tried a new plan.
She ran for every ball. She won three points in a row! The crowd cheered. Though Arlo won the match in the end, Danny had played her best tennis ever.
At the net, Arlo shook her hand. ‘That was a great match,’ said Arlo. ‘You’ll be champion one day.’ Danny grinned. ‘I’ll see you next year!’
The little lesson
Courage and effort matter more than the score.
Let’s talk about it
- How did Danny feel before the match?
- What did Arlo do at the end?
Finish stories to collect Danny as a sticker in your Sticker Book.
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