Former Head coach of the Men’s Tennis team Steve Wilkinson has inspired his students, athletes, co-workers, and so many others through his coaching and his life principles conveyed in his book Let Love Serve. Wilkinson’s book will be discussed at a Soup and Sandwich Seminar from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19 in the Interpretive Center.
Wilkinson explained the main philosophy presented in his book and how it can be applied to other aspects of life beyond sports.
“A lot of people focus on what they can’t control. When it comes to sports, people focus on whether they win or they lose. If they could control that, everybody would win. They can’t, so that shouldn’t be the focus. When it comes to classes people tend to focus too much on grades instead of what they’re learning. Again, the grades are not completely controlled by the student, they’re controlled certainly in part by the professors and what they deem to be important,” Wilkinson said.
“He is the most unique coach I’ve ever met.”—Neal Hagberg
Wilkinson, along with his wife Barb, created the Tennis and Life Camps in 1977 which they donated to Gustavus after he retired in 2009. Wilkinson explained the core values taught during these camps and how they led to the book.
“The unique perspective of tennis and life as well as the Gustavus tennis program are what we call the three crowns. The first one is choose to have a positive attitude, it doesn’t matter whether you have cancer, or whether you lose or whether you get an ‘F’ or whatever, you have a choice. Number two: don’t give up, just because things are not going your way, don’t quit. Number three is good sportsmanship which at the most important level is the golden rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you, and when you focus on sportsmanship you’re also focusing on service which takes you to the name of the book: Let Love Serve.” Wilkinson said.
Director of Tennis and Life Camps Neal Hagberg ‘81 has known Wilkinson for 33 years and wrote the foreword to his book. He reflected on his experience working with him.
“He is the most unique coach I’ve ever met. He is really like a Zen master, he goes to the absolute simplest and profound solution to things. I think so many coaches and teachers want to look smart by making everything sound complicated, he is like ‘here’s what’s essential, worry about that and let everything else go,” Hagberg said.
Tommy Valentini ‘02, who Wilkinson coached during his time at Gustavus, took over as head coach of the Men’s Tennis team after Wilkinson retired. He reflected on the impact Wilkinson’s coaching has had on him and others.
“As a student athlete under his guidance, he changed the way I competed, he changed the way I saw the role of sports in my life, and really created an environment where I could pursue my fullest potential. He’s a beautiful example of what the Tennis and Life philosophy looks like lived out in the world,” Valentini said.
The discussion of Let Love Serve will focus not only on the sports aspect of Wilkinson’s philosophy, but on the ways it’s applicable to life in general.
“He really truly lives out the philosophy and the values that he teaches. He’s a beautiful example of what the Tennis and Life philosophy looks like lived out in the world.”—Tommy Valentini
“Let Love Serve certainly deals with a lot of things tennis related, but I think even to the non-tennis fan the book is quite useful in terms of coaching and teaching in the context of any sport, in terms of living and facing challenges and building relationships,” Valentini said.
Wilkinson’s book reaches beyond the realm of sports.
“In relationships, it’s real easy to focus on what others are not doing for us instead of focusing on what we’re not doing for others, we have control over what we do for others, and we don’t have control over what they do for us,” Wilkinson said
For more information about Wilkinson’s book and the discussion visit the Gustavus website.
-Rachael Manser