Andrea Martínez is a senior tennis player at Loyola University New Orleans who is originally from Puerto Rico. She studies Biological Sciences and has a minor in Chemistry and has played tennis since she was 8 years old. Like many college athletes, it has been her dream to play her beloved sport at the collegiate level, but she's faced her fair share of disappointment along the way. 

As Martínez applied to college programs she was saddened with the fact that she did not receive many offers to play college tennis. Loyola University New Orleans ended up offering her an academic scholarship but she was not offered a spot on the tennis team. Even so, Andrea chose to attend Loyola University New Orleans in hopes of potentially walking on. Prior to her arrival in New Orleans, she emailed the head coach to see if there was any possibility she could try and walk-on to the team. The coach explained to her that he had a full roster and was not accepting any walk-ons at the time, but Andrea knew in her heart that she was qualified enough to be on the team! 

She was equally determined to make it happen.

Within the first few weeks of her freshman year of college, Andrea hunted down the head tennis coach and explained that she just needed one chance to prove herself! Again, the coach told her that he had a full team and there was nothing he could do to help. However, Andrea was not one to give up so easily. 

The head coach told Andrea that she could start a tennis club at the school and he would even help her find potential students who might be willing to join the club. Andrea agreed and founded Loyola's club tennis team. The head coach was impressed by Andrea's resilience and love for tennis. He eventually offered her an opportunity to try out for the tennis team. When reflecting on this, Andrea chuckled and said “I think he did it to get me off his back.”

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After Andrea tried out for the tennis team the head coach allowed her to walk on and the coaches were tough on her. She knew that she needed to prove herself so she worked so incredibly hard and, once she made the team, said that she had never played so well in her life. During her freshman year the tennis team even made it to Nationals for the first time in school history! Andrea only played two matches her freshman year, but she did not care–she was so thrilled that she was able to train with her coach and play the sport that brings her so much joy. 

Fast-forward to the start of her sophomore year, and she hit another speed bump: the head coach told the team that he was leaving. He sat everyone down and told them how proud he was of the team and happy he was to see how much they had all grown. The coach then highlighted how proud he was of Andrea, stating that he had never seen someone work so hard and made Andrea team captain. 

Andrea took her role very seriously. She wanted to foster camaraderie amongst the team. She wanted to support her team. She wanted to push her team the way her head coach pushed her. Andrea remained team captain for two years.

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At the start of Andrea's junior year, she began having back pain that was so excruciating, she would limp off the court after tournaments and practices. Oftentimes, Andrea would cry herself to sleep due to the pain in her back. It became so unbearable that she had to stop playing tennis, and Andrea mentioned that this was such a difficult thing for her to do because tennis was her escape. When Andrea felt stressed, anxious, or upset she always had tennis to help her through difficult situations. Andrea sought medical help and found out that she had a disease called Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD). This condition affects the lower back where there is a loss of cushioning between the vertebrae. This leads to fragmentation and herniation, and is extremely painful. The only cure is surgery, however, Andrea decided she was too young for surgery. After discussing with her parents and coaches Andrea decided to step away from the sport. 

Andrea talked with her head coach and told him that she did not want to completely step away from the team. She told him that she would help in any way that she possibly could. Andrea began driving her teammates to practices to help them out since at Loyola, tennis athletes have to be bussed to and from their practices and, due to COVID-19 restrictions at the time, athletes needed to socially distance themselves on the buses. No matter what, Andrea provided pointers to her teammates and always showed up to support them! 

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After some time, the head coach called Andrea. He told her that he needs extra support and knows how valuable she is to the tennis team. He offered her the assistant coach position. Andrea was overwhelmed with emotion. She felt so seen, valued, and part of the tennis team once again. Andrea remained to be the assistant coach her Senior year of college.  “It has been so fun being an assistant coach,” she said and loves the fact that she can support the team in a different way than before. She says that she is so proud of them and so happy that she got to go through this experience with them. 

Remember, Andrea never got an athletic scholarship for tennis–she played and participated in the sport because it was her passion! Andrea plans to take a gap year and continue working as a medical assistant in New Orleans next year with the goal of eventually going to medical school. She is currently unsure if she will be continuing her position on the team, but Andrea will keep supporting and going to the team's matches. Andrea doesn't think they'll need her anymore.

“They have grown so much,” she said. “I know they'll be okay. There is incredible talent on the team.”

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* Originally published on May 31, 2022, by Matthew Reichen