I think Coach Tanasoiu’s Rose Café is one of my favorites of all the ones I have attended so far. As a former high school tennis player, I was intrigued to hear about the Cornell Tennis team, and Coach Tanasiou did not disappoint. His passion for tennis and for coaching was evident in the way he spoke about every aspect of his job, exemplified in his repeated statement that he couldn’t believe he was actually getting paid to coach. I was really inspired by his story of growing up playing tennis in Romania and the sacrifices he and his family made that have shaped who he is as a person. It was really motivating to hear to how he brought those aspects of his character to his tennis coaching. In the way he described his team and coaching philosophy it sounded like he really cared about all aspects of the players, not just their results, but also their character, the way they carry themselves, and their attitude towards those who have helped them such as their coach or parents.

Additionally, Coach Tanasiou’s talk served as a reminder me of just how hard student-athletes work, as he described it, “like being in the military and getting a medical degree.” It is easy fall into stereotyping athletes as people who do not focus on school and put sports above all else. Listening to Coach Tanasiou talk about the athletes’ rigorous schedule, difficult majors, and ability to succeed, however, it was clear that this stereotype is unfounded, especially in college.

When deciding whether to attend this Rose Café, I was definitely on the fence about going, but now, I am just really grateful for having had the opportunity to listen to such an inspiring and motivating person as Coach Tanasiou.