Recently a good friend of mine, Jacki Dezelski, was honored as the recipient of the 2025 Kent C. Schulz Award. As someone who has dedicated her career to improving our community, Jacki is a truly exceptional choice. Jacki is also a top ranked local tennis player and her acceptance speech used tennis as a metaphor providing both guidance and inspiration, as follows... Enjoy
“My Best Tennis Is Still Ahead of Me”
What an honor—truly. And a bit of a role reversal, since I’m usually the one handing out the awards! To join the list of past recipients is deeply meaningful, and also a little surreal.
Let’s talk about Coach Bernie, who always tells me, “Your best tennis is still ahead of you.” That phrase has stuck with me—so much so that I’ve adopted it as a guiding metaphor. For you, it might not be tennis. Maybe it’s your business, your leadership journey, your family, your faith, or your purpose. Whatever your “tennis” is—substitute it right in.
To believe my best tennis is still ahead of me...
…I had to start playing.
That meant picking up the racquet. It required courage, commitment, and saying yes to opportunity—sometimes without knowing where it would lead.
For me, that racquet was a help wanted ad in the Bradenton Heraldback in 1996. That part-time job became a career, a calling, and a community. The Chamber has been my tennis court ever since.
And I’ll always be grateful to the early coaches who believed in me when I was still learning the game.
To keep playing my best tennis...
…I have to show up. Again and again.
That means putting in the work, listening to coaches, and learning from the greats. The best players never stop practicing—and neither can we. That includes adapting our strategies when things change, staying focused in high-pressure moments, and growing from both wins and losses.
Some of the proudest moments of my career have come in the hardest matches:
These weren’t easy rallies. But they shaped me into the player I am today.
To play better tennis…
…I have to challenge myself by stepping onto courts where the players are faster, smarter, stronger.
You don’t grow by playing it safe. You grow by taking the hard shot, reaching the tough ball, adjusting your footwork—and sometimes by losing, learning, and coming back stronger.
That’s how I view leadership. That’s how I view life.
And most importantly… to play my best tennis…
…I have to believe I can.
Belief is the foundation. Without it, there’s no drive to improve, no energy to serve again, no reason to chase the line shot.
So that’s my commitment to you: I believe. I believe my best tennis is still ahead of me. And I believe yours is too—whatever your version of “tennis” may be.
Now let’s get back on the court and play the next match—together.
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Hope you enjoyed Jacki's message as much as I did. Wishing you success!
