Davidson selected for national tennis conference

Fourteen-year-old Moises Davidson was one of 40 youth athletes selected to attend the National Junior Tennis League Leadership Conference in Atlanta recently. Davidson returned renewed in his enthusiasm for the sport and with new priorities and lessons both on and off the court.

The one-week course prioritized the need for student-athletes to focus on their roles in the community, achievement in academic life and lifelong fitness conditioning. Field trips to The King Center, which honors Martin Luther King Jr., and watching the Atlanta Tennis Championships were highlights of the conference.

While there Davidson drilled in footwork, serves and has become more agile and responsive in chasing down balls. "Every day we worked some new skill set to improve an area of my game. I now know how to practice more efficiently and have improved my discipline," Davidson said.

After their daily practice the players would gather for discussions that involved topics that included racism, personal beliefs and remaining open to other personal points of view. "I can say that I am a better person now on the inside. I have respect for others and we can all choose to honor differences among us. It makes for a better world," Davidson said.

Davidson, who eventually would like to work as a tennis professional or become a coach himself, got a chance to watch Andy Roddick, James Blake and Taylor Dent in action. He cite the experience as amazing.

"My favorite player is Rafael Nadal," Davidson said. "He has a tenaciousness about him and is so hard charging on every point. He is also humble off the court and a good person."

Davidson, an honors student, will attend West Potomac High School this fall and looks forward to the spring tennis season.