By Ethan Benedicto
Excelling at one’s sport will always have that sense of satisfaction, that sense of accomplishment of your abilities, perseverance and hard work, and much more when being adorned the Pennant Player of the Year for the men’s grade 6 tennis division in Victoria.
Cooper Khalil nearly went undefeated in the most recent season, losing only once in a doubles match-up, he was so locked into the flow of the games that he never even considered the possibility of winning the award.
When he did, he couldn’t have been more ecstatic.
“It’s a pretty surreal feeling, to be honest, and I’m very grateful and honoured to win the award,” he said.
“You know, being the best player in the whole grade is pretty special because there were over 300 different players in there, and it was an awesome night.”
Being awarded on the same night as Olympic gold medalist John Pearce was exhilarating according to Cooper, considering that the moment itself came as a surprise and that he wasn’t aware of an award at the beginning of the season.
Cooper lost the winning streak during the finals, but having played since he was six years old, he had been able to condition his body and adapt to the demands of the sport to achieve the feats of a near-flawless season.
“I started tennis when I was six, here at the Berwick Tennis Club and I’ve been here the whole way through 25,” Cooper said.
“I was kind of obsessed with it in a weird way, there was just something so good, like, such a good feeling of hitting a tennis ball and then rallying.
“It was something that I’ve always just loved and wanted to just keep improving and getting better.”
When Cooper was around 10 years old, he realised he had a more competitive side, recalling that he would use to “cry on the court” and “throw my racket”; but as he grew, he channelled those emotions into drive for his development, both physically and mentally.
Competing at such a high level, “it’s pretty tough”.
“With all the experience I’ve had, I’ve been able to condition myself to deal with moments like that.
“Playing for such a long time, I think the toughest thing is mentality, and I feel like I was able to really sort myself out, mentally, this season.
“I had a very clear mind going into the matches, but I also had the confidence that I would be able to go out there and put on a good show every week.”
Like everyone else, Cooper gets a rush of nervous energy in the moments leading to a match, but once his feet hit the court, it leaves and his breathing settles, and he “just goes back to the skills I’ve learned throughout the years and rely on that to get me through”.
“I feel like once the match starts, if I get in the right headspace and think tactically, then I’m able to just forget about the nerves and everything else and just focus on the game.”
In addition to playing, Cooper also coaches at the club, with his main message to those he teaches is to simply “have fun”.
“I feel like kids learn a lot better if they’re in an environment that they enjoy, so if they have that fun element, and are enjoying themselves, it’s going to be much better for them to grow and improve as tennis players and as individuals.”
Looking ahead, Cooper aims to use his winning the award not as a token to relax, but as motivation to strive for more, to be better and surpass himself on all levels.
“I’ve got big shoes to fill now, if someone says they’ve beaten the pennant player of the year, they’ll feel pretty good,” Cooper said.
“I’ve got to try and stop them from having that; but obviously, this is a great honour, it validates myself just a little bit, to be recognised for a good reason.
“It’s a great feeling, and hopefully I can keep that good form and momentum moving forward.”
