NOTE: This is part of a series on athletics.covenant.edu with feature stories written by the student-athletes about their time at Covenant. The series is in conjunction with NCAA Division III Week, an annual event to celebrate the accomplishments on and off the field of student-athletes in the NCAA's largest division.
By Madelyn Savage
(Covenant junior; Women's Tennis)
Having grown up in a small town in North Georgia and attending a very small private Christian high school (nine in my graduating class!), one might think that I would've wanted to branch out and attend a large public college to obtain that "college experience" that everyone talks about.
In some ways, that was true, but when my mom and I walked on to Covenant's campus for the first time during my senior year of high school, we both knew that there was something different about this place - a sense of community that far exceeds anything we've ever experienced before.Â
We were introduced to Covenant from a family friend who had attended Covenant, and was in the process of doing the dual-degree engineering program. Anna Danek, former cross country and track athlete at Covenant, was always beaming at how amazing Covenant was, from the professors, to the coaches, and everyone in between. She was a major reason that I even considered coming to Covenant in the first place, and was very knowledgeable in the engineering program which I wanted, and am continuing to pursue.Â
When applying for Covenant, the application had me check off things that I was interested in, and since I played tennis with my family sometimes, I went ahead and checked the tennis checkbox, not thinking it would result in much. However, when I came in for my tour of the campus, one of the things on the itinerary was "lunch with the tennis coach". This was when my mom and I first met head coach John Hirte, who was instrumental in my decision to come to Covenant.
Coach Hirte welcomed us so generously, and it was so easy to tell that he was genuine about his faith, and his pursuit to intertwine faith into his coaching for the men's and women's tennis teams. So even though I was not expecting to play tennis in college, I am so grateful that I got the opportunity to do so, and realize that was completely the Lord's doing, because I have grown so much from being on the team.
I have made lifelong friends on the tennis team, and have had so many great memories that I know I will always remember. However, I've also been challenged to pursue excellence in my sport through competing, but also in the way I act and carry myself in matches.
Covenant athletics does a really great job of emphasizing the need to have integrity, sportsmanship, and love towards our opponents, so that we are a good reflection of what we believe, and who we serve - Christ.Â
Not only does Covenant put a big emphasis on integrating faith through athletics, they also teach us how to balance our academic life, and strive for excellence in the classroom. The professors at Covenant really get to know their students, and I have been personally encouraged, loved, and challenged by many of my professors. They want to see us succeed, so they push us to work hard, but also give grace and have compassion.
I can definitely say that being a part of the tennis team has helped me in my academics. I am able to use my free time more efficiently to study or get homework done, but being able to get outside and practice everyday is a great reset. I also have some pretty amazing teammates and coaches that encourage me to pursue excellence in my academics.Â
Overall, looking back on my experience at Covenant, I am so grateful for how the Lord brought me here, for the group of friends that I've made, and the ways that I've grown spiritually, academically, and socially.Â
Madelyn Savage
