Moran Believes Sportsmanship is Key to Game

While gathering her mail this past February, Vicki Moran noticed a large envelope that piqued her interest. As she stared at it, Moran couldn’t recall ordering something online. The Amazon delivery van hadn’t swung by her house, either.

When she opened it up, Moran was surprised to find tucked inside an award certificate from USTA Missouri Valley as well as a nice letter, some tennis swag and goodies. Moran was stunned to find out she had been nominated and named a USTA League Sportsmanship Winner.

“I was super excited,” Moran said. “I’m not the person who walks around, touts everything and thinks everything is great. I’m just a normal person trying to stay healthy and play a sport I think is exceedingly fun.

“When I received the award I was like, ‘Wow.’ It’s neat to know that somebody saw it. Here I just kind of go and play — not thinking I’m trying to go out there and really beat up on people or make it a nasty event. Really I just have that inspiration of being healthy. For somebody to actually give me the award was pretty shocking.”

Moran was especially taken aback because she was unaware anyone had nominated her for the USTA League Sportsmanship Award. 

“It would be really awesome to say thank you to whoever nominated me,” Moran said. “Maybe it’s the pay it backward, pay it forward thing — that’s obviously where I’m going to go with it. To make sure if I get the opportunity to recommend somebody or to nominate, I’ll pay it forward. That’s what you can do. That’s the good thing about it, right?”

Moran was nominated by fellow league player Susan Morris who recounted a situation she and Moran found themselves in during a match.

“We were playing a match when some drama took place on the adjacent court. It was very disruptive and soon team captains were called to the court. Vicki, my opponent, was cool about it and we talked for a minute about the situation on the adjacent court, we decided that we don't get paid to play, so let's just enjoy the match and have fun. I've been in matches where the nearby drama was so disrupting that players were ready to end the match, or wait until the drama ended. 

“We did finish the match, but without a very positive sportsmanship attitude, our match could have ended very differently. Vicki did win the match, but we both walked off the court together smiling, and we enjoyed our match.”

Moran has been playing tennis for eight years. It started as a fun activity for exercise, and she learned the game on the fly. She played in a house league, went to some classes. But at the urging and encouragement of those around her, Moran decided to play more competitively within the last couple of years. She started as a 3.0 and moved up to the 3.5 level within a year.

Moran has competed the last two years at Creve Coeur Racquet Club and is in a USTA adult league at the club. She participates in both women’s singles and doubles. Moran said it’s been a blast to compete, though the health benefits of playing tennis remain her top priority.

“It’s fun to just play with others, see the differences and account for some of those in doubles and singles,” Moran said. “It’s been super fun. I’m probably a lot more lighthearted about it than most. Because at the end of the day, what benefits us all is exercise. It’s staying healthy, being fit. It’s being a positive influence in this world. That’s where my angle is.”

Moran puts a premium on great sportsmanship on and off the tennis court. She said she actively tries to demonstrate good behavior particularly right before and right after matches. Moran does so by saying phrases like “great game,” “let’s have fun,” “let’s enjoy what we’re doing” and “let’s work hard.”

“Sportsmanship is a trait everybody should be showing,” Moran said. “I’m not making money off the game. I wish people would understand that. It really is to keep us moving, keep us exercising and to be a better person. To know our strengths and weaknesses. I try to make sure it’s super positive even if I miss a ball, even if it hits the wrong side of my racket.”

Moran believes good sportsmanship showcases the willingness and ability to work with and support others. She said it goes well beyond impacting her tennis game, overflowing into other areas of her life. But even more simple than that, Moran just thinks being a good sport is the right thing to do.

“It’s the way we keep positivity rolling in an environment and a world that is always so easily taken back with negativity,” Moran said. “To roll with it and be part of the real positive elements of the world instead of being part of the negative.

“To constantly strive for doing better next time is really the take-home on it. To make sure part of your own development supports your team, your community and the world. All of that is getting better within ourselves and being part of the larger entity that we are.”

Do you know of a good sport or have you seen great sportsmanship recently? Take the time to nominate a player today! Click here to submit a nomination for a USTA League Sportsmanship Award.