By Liz Contreras
Recent Del City graduate Paris Bazile began playing tennis her junior year of high school. Starting the sport as a junior, she quickly proved that late beginnings do not have to mean limited potential. Practicing often, she worked to improve consistency in her serves and footwork. Bazile says she “thoroughly enjoyed playing as a number 1 singles” on Del City’s team.
She shared that her dedicated coaches and the team’s positive spirit “made the atmosphere perfect” for an ever-evolving student-athlete. The supportive environment helped build up her confidence, even when met with a difficult match. She acknowledged her coaches for investing their time-even beyond scheduled practices-to make sure she had the guidance she craved.
Bazile draws inspiration from her mother, Stephanie, who she says raised her with a growth mindset and instilled in her the idea that there is always room for improvement. Bazile says, “I can always look to her to help become a better me.” Her proudest accomplishment from her senior season was improving her performance from last year’s overall record.
Having just graduated this May, Bazile plans to attend the University of Oklahoma and major in Chemical Biosciences with a goal of becoming an immunologist.
Bazile teaches us that it is never too late to tackle something new and with the right amount of perseverance and dedication, growth will follow. As she takes these next steps at OU, she will undoubtedly carry with her the many lessons she gained both on and off the court at Del City.
