Author: Rod Ray

One thing is certain: there will be difficult days ahead. When I was young, my father often told me to save for a rainy day. He implied that one thing was guaranteed based on his life experiences: the rain would come, so it was wise...

I despise losing. My 25th year of college coaching did not go as planned because we lost more than expected. Winning on the scoreboard is marked as the primary goal of college sports, but there can be a contrarian understanding of results. Sometimes, the lessons...

Since personal growth rarely happens when we're comfortable, life becomes rich from the lessons we learn from difficulties. The sport of tennis provides a platform for growth.     Please listen to my discussion with GOTENNIS on the many benefits of competition.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23Ql6EwzuWA   #1 Amazon Bestseller Hard Comes First The Guide...

We're made to do life in community with others. In fact, the people we surround ourselves with matter a lot. Your first boss, who you marry, high school friends, teachers and coaches, and more, all matter in shaping not only how we see the world,...

We all agree that NIL agreements, player payments, and the transfer portal have transformed college sports. However, one thing that hasn't changed is that people of all ages still need coaching, and young people need coaching now more than ever.  We begin practice this week with...

Is Blue Monday Hype or Real? January is called the saddest month of the year, and the third Monday in January (January 20th, 2025) is Blue Monday, labeled as the most miserable day of the year. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, sadness often...

Chapter 2, The White Jesus, is one of my favorite chapters of Hard Comes First. If you haven't read it or read it lately, I encourage you to do so and share it with someone you care about. The White Jesus is the ultimate story of...

One of the things that former college tennis players miss most after college is the closeness of a good team.   Teams like ours, as well as many organizations, often talk about creating a family atmosphere. It is important to remember that family means different things...

I'm Christmas shopping today, which is causing some challenges. What do I give someone who seems to have everything? I'm pretty sure you have this same dilemma, too. So why not give something that will challenge and help them grow? Hard Comes First: The Guide...