A Note from the Storyteller
I never wanted to be a photographer growing up, but fate intended a much different story for me. So, over the last four years, I had to learn the art of visual storytelling through opportunities that led me to mainly document sports. This story explores the journey of a student-athlete finding her place in the world and illustrates, through photography, the ongoing pursuit of excellence in all areas of life. Most importantly, these photos emphasize the role of the supporting characters in our own lives, i.e., friends, family, and mentors, and how these relationships are vital in pursuing a personal understanding of balance.
In Focus: Tamara "Tammy" Arnold
"Everyone's journey is different. I never imagined that I would end up here in San Diego, but here I am still doing what I love." - Tamara
Finding herself halfway through the first year as a graduate student, Tamara Arnold of Olten, Switzerland, has carved out a unique path due to her athletic capabilities and personal ambitions. These qualities have resulted in unmistakable success, witnessed by those sharing in her unique experience as a student-athlete.
The Student
"I may not come off as one, but I am such a big nerd and love going to school. I sit in the first row of all my classes and befriend all my teachers because I know their presence will be crucial should I need help advancing my professional career." - Tamara
Nicole Williams, left, Tamara Arnold, center, and Dr. Daniel Cannon, right, compare data results of a research project at San Diego State University on Nov. 28, 2022, in San Diego, CA. The research focuses on the effects on breathing capacity from seated or restraint positions based on the controversial police actions which resulted in the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, MN, on May 25, 2020. (Photo Credit: Raymond Gorospe)
The Athlete
"As college athletes, we have a responsibility to support each other as teammates while striving to bring the best out of everyone around you. I found this to be so refreshing after 11 years of just being by myself." - Tamara
Tamara Arnold, center, is assisted by Rania Azziz, left, and Alicia Melosch, right, during a kettlebell squat exercise on Nov. 21, 2022, in San Diego, CA. All SDSU Women's Tennis Team members go through a rigorous strength training program while preparing for the Spring 2023 season. (Photo Credit: Raymond Gorospe)
Balancing Both Roles
"Growing up, my family, especially my dad, stressed the importance of being on time, staying attentive, and having a scheduled, structured day every day. So for me, there is no low-time, slow time. I must always be on my A-game." - Tamara
Tamara Arnold performs a single-leg Romanian Deadlift during a strength and conditioning workout session on Nov. 21, 2022, in San Diego, CA. Maintaining excellent single-leg balance is a crucial ability for tennis players to consistently depend on, especially at a highly-competitive level. (Photo Credit: Raymond Gorospe)
Rolf Arnold: Dad
Tamara's father took notice of her love and desire for tennis when she was just six years old, and he became the driving force behind her journey as a tennis player. In the photo to the left, Tamara receives a phone call from her father in Switzerland after completing her singles match on Nov. 11, 2022, in San Diego, CA. Tamara admits her father is unafraid to voice his opinion regarding her playing performance after watching online.
"Once he saw me enjoying tennis with the talent I had, he asked me if I seriously wanted to try it... My father is why I got to where I am today, and he truly is my role model." - Tamara
Tennis Career in Switzerland
With her father's help, Tamara found early success as a tennis player by competing in international tournaments. This led to sponsorship from French sports equipment company Babolat and Japanese sportswear brand Asics at a very young age.
After transitioning from boarding school, Tamara chose to attend her secondary education at Nationale Elitesportschule Thurgau, a Swiss Olympic Sport School, signaling a total commitment to tennis. Throughout her playing career in Switzerland, Tamara won three national championship titles. However, tennis would come to a halt at age 17 due to calcium overgrowth near her Achilles tendon. The recovery process lasted a year, which enabled Tamara to discover a crucial element of herself: the need for balance.
"That year, I got to travel, be with my parents more, my family and friends, everything I missed out on due to concentrating on tennis. I love tennis, but I want a life too." - Tamara
Tennis Career in the United States
Faced with a difficult decision to either stay at NET or pursue a college degree, Tamara ultimately wanted to play for a competitive tennis program while receiving a quality education. Consequently, Tamara's choice initially received feelings of disappointment from those invested in her pursuit of a professional career. However, it was ultimately the love and support from her family, especially her father, Rolf, that transcended those responses.
Tamara attended Tyler Junior College in eastern Texas to qualify for NCAA Division I eligibility. There, she earned her General Educational Development credential (GED) in three semesters while playing for their tennis team, which won a national championship. Once Tamara could transfer, she had to search for the right program that best aligned with her needs on and off the tennis court. Eventually, this led San Diego State University to reach out to her. After a few conferences with the coaching staff, Tamara was sold on coming to San Diego for the Fall 2018 semester.
I didn't even visit the school. After the phone conferences, San Diego sounded good to me, the coaching staff sounded nice to me, and I did not even know what I was going to major in... but since I arrived, I have been the happiest I've ever been... San Diego became a place where I could have the balance of enjoying life and tennis." - Tamara
Coach Peter Mattera
One of the decisive factors in Tamara's choice to transfer to San Diego State was the first phone interaction with Coach Peter. She could immediately tell how deeply the coaching staff cared for the well-being and success of their athletes.
Tammy brings great energy, a winning attitude, and wonderful leadership to our program, and we are better because of it... We were interested in recruiting her because everywhere she had played, she had found success. She has been everything we could have hoped for and more. - Coach Peter
Teammates
From Tamara's perspective, the most significant difference between playing tennis in the United States compared to Switzerland and all of Europe is the team dynamic in college athletics. She quickly noticed that tennis was more than an individual sport and thrived from the support received from, and in turn, had given to her teammates.
Playing on a tennis team was refreshing because it no longer was about me, but rather something bigger... One of my newest teammates, Rania Azziz, came to SDSU three months ago and has become one of my closest friends. She keeps it fun and loose, reminding me not to take life so seriously, which is what I need sometimes. - Tamara
Fall Classic Tournament, Day 2
The second day of the Fall Classic Tournament exhibited a heightened amount of drama. Tamara had to overcome a loss in the preceding doubles match and found herself on the ropes during the first set of her singles match. Aleksandra Zlatarova of the University of Texas, San Antonio, fiercely competed against Tamara, which brought the two players to a tiebreaker scenario. Ultimately, Tamara overcame adversity, winning the deciding 7th game of the first set, and would later go on to win a straight-set which won her the match.
A Brighter, Balanced Future
Tamara Arnold is in the final competitive season of her tennis playing career. However, a journey that started in Olten, Switzerland, does not necessarily have to end here in San Diego. She still wants to keep tennis as a large part of her life moving forward, stating that she feels almost a duty to take what she has learned over the years and pass it on to the future generation of tennis players. Additionally, Tamara maintains high hopes for the future, even if tennis has to take the backseat. She wants to use her MS in Exercise Physiology to become a Physician's Assistant, highlighting her innate love for science. One certain thing is that success follows wherever Tammy goes. After enduring the painful lessons and recognitions of an earlier, unbalanced life, she aspires to paint the image of her future with the past she had to sacrifice.
Credits
Photography and Story by Raymond Gorospe
Concept Development by Dr. Peggy Peattie (SDSU JMS) & Derrick Tuskan (SDSU Athletics)
Assistant Editors Kourage Kundahl (Detroit Tigers) & Ángel Granados (UCLA TFT)
Equipment provided by Charles Zablan (Canon USA) & Robert Shelley (Sony Alpha)
A special thanks to SDSU Women's Tennis, Michael Abbott, Peter Mattera, and Jaycee Bagtas