USTA New England’s 2023 Good Sport Award Winner
On November 4th, Bea Molson and her parents Justin and Julia, brother Sam, grandparents, and cousins, traveled from Jericho, VT to Natick, MA for USTA New England’s Tennis weekend. This annual event features vendors (including Vermont’s Grand Slam Tennis Tours repped by Meghan Collins), coaching and training workshops, A Women in Tennis breakfast, on-court clinics, DEI presentations, and the USTA New England Section 2023 Awards presentation ceremony. Bea was one of seven individuals and facilities honored by our section Awards Committee for their standout contributions to our sport. Each recipient was introduced by Dave Champoux, USTANE’s President of the Board of Directors, honored with a video tribute, invited to the podium to share a few words with the enthusiastic crowd, and presented a crystal trophy in recognition of their achievement.
Representing Vermont and present to celebrate Bea’s achievement were USTA BOD members Sandy Foster (Executive Director Bennington Aces NJTL), Tammy Azur (USTA VT BOD member and Youth Tennis Coordinator), Jen Weiss, (Vermont Recreational Coordinator), Jerry Knickerbocker (State League Committee Chair), USTA Vermont State Association BOD president Joanna Beall, USTA New England Member at Large Ed Powers, and Frank Costantino. Bea was gracious on the podium, thanking her parents, teammates, coaches, and friends for the opportunity to grow and learn as a person and player.
I caught up with Bea recently and asked her to share her thoughts about the experience with her hometown fans. In addition to being a gifted and fierce competitor, many Vermonters know Bea as a loyal and supportive teammate. Bea won the Vermont High School Individual Championships in 2022 as a freshman and returned to the Edge in the fall to train among friends and school-year rivals. In the spring of 2023, she rejoined the MMU D-2 team filled with gratitude for her high school tennis community. “She just loves her team,” her parents say, and that positive energy and generous spirit brought the MMU Cougars the Vermont High School D-2 Championship win in 2023.
Here is our conversation:
What do you think good sportsmanship is really about?
Sportsmanship is about playing for the enjoyment of the sport and playing with honor. Sportsmanship should not be something that is praised, it should be expected. Good sportsmanship is about respecting rules and etiquette and challenging yourself to win from your own shots, strategy, and fair play.
What are some of the personal experiences that have taught you about being a good sport?
During my first trip to NE Sectionals, I went through one of the hardest matches so far in my life. I was surprised by how someone could easily manipulate the score, only using the words “in” or “out.” Those choices decide each point, and I have learned how frustrating it is to be on the receiving end of dishonest behavior. This is why I never feel comfortable being unsportsmanlike and trying to win at all costs. I think experiencing bad sportsmanship can be the best or worst way to learn about other people and the price they’re willing to pay for success; I never want to be a part of that.
How do you feel about what MMU accomplished this year?
I feel proud and grateful for my whole team; I learned as much from them as they learned about the game of tennis. It was amazing to watch their progress as they improved faster than I ever have. While tennis is often an individual sport, the connections we formed as teammates during pre-match dinners, choosing our goofy over-the-top spirit themes, warm-up music, and pep rally rituals made everything possible. It is so exciting to be on a team when most of the players are just starting the sport, and you can see it all come together in the end. I’ve never been a part of any group where everyone connected so easily.
How do you feel when you see someone behave badly on the court – adult, pro, or youth player?
It just feels like secondhand embarrassment. It is uncomfortable to watch and humiliating because they are modeling behavior young tennis players are looking up to.
Do you think good sportsmanship is something that can be taught?
Sportsmanship is naturally harder for some people than others. And kids learn more from seeing behavior acted out rather than being told what to do. Band behavior can be contagious, especially if it comes from someone you look up to. I hope that young players will get recognized for their fairness and want to live up to the pros who demonstrate respect and love of the game.
Are there any professional tennis players who you respect and would like to emulate?
I appreciate the way Casper Ruud and Markéta Vondroušová represent themselves on the court. They both play with respect, and never over-celebrate much, or blame the umpire or their coaches. They play focused on themselves, their shots, and their points. That is what I strive to achieve when I play tennis.
Do you know where your love for good sportsmanship comes from?
I’ve always had good sportsmanship in my life and it comes from my mom and dad. From the time I was really small, I liked the way playing tennis made me feel – not necessarily winning all the time – but just the pure feeling I get from playing. I have a photo of myself at two, picking up a racquet for the first time which shows me the layers of tennis that have built my game. Even though soccer was my main sport throughout my childhood, the time came when I realized how naturally tennis came to me, more effortlessly than anything before or since. I never feel too tired or too bored or too anxious to get out on the court. I can get nervous, but never enough to win by not being myself.
Please congratulate Bea when you see her; youth players across the state are working hard to learn the game, connect to others, and grow as people. Vermont high school tennis can only benefit from the kind of fair and honest play that are the hallmarks of her game.
