Tennis teaches resiliency and perseverance

Throughout Black History Month, USTA.com will feature first-person essays from coaches, players and tennis advocates. Meet Payton Haygood from our USTA Central Indiana District. In her essay, Haygood shares life lessons she's learned through tennis, and how she plans to pass that joy and inspiration on to the next generation of athletes.

"Tennis has been a part of my life since 2012, when I first picked up a racquet on a neighborhood court with my mom, Coach Pam Haygood. What started as casual lessons and summer camps in Avon and Brownsburg, Ind., quickly grew into a passion. By high school, my hard work and determination earned me a spot on the varsity team as a freshman. Over the next four years, I helped Brownsburg achieve milestones like the Hoosier Crossroads Conference Championships, First Team All-State honors, and even reaching the Team State Finals for the first time in school history. Those moments taught me the value of resilience and perseverance—both on and off the court.

It wasn’t long before I set my sights on playing tennis at the collegiate level. This goal fueled me through countless hours of training, and in 2016, I discovered a new passion: coaching. 

Earning a scholarship to play tennis at Marian University was the next step in my journey. Being a student-athlete challenged me to grow both as a player and as a leader, and during those years, I balanced rigorous academics with the demands of collegiate competition. I graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology, and as my time as a collegiate athlete came to an end, I found a new purpose in giving back to the game. I began working at a local Indianapolis tennis club and returned to Brownsburg as a coach, helping young players develop their skills and passion for tennis.

While pursuing my Master of Science degree in Organizational Psychology at the University of Hartford, I was fortunate to intern with the USTA National Campus and the Cincinnati Open. These experiences deepened my understanding of both the coaching and business sides of the sport, from player development to tournament operations. Through them, I saw firsthand how leadership and innovation can expand opportunities in tennis.