Hearing Coach Tanasoiu speak was inspiring. He had a great passion for the students that he coached and wanted to see them exceed not only on the tennis courts but also in the classroom. He understood the amount of stress that students here face and he also understood the effects of the added stress of tennis that goes along with this. He believed that hard work can help people to accomplish their goals. I was very inspired by his demonstration of passion. You could tell how passionate he was by his discussion of the sport and how they choose which students to recruit. It is also wonderful that he has not forgotten his humble beginnings.

I have always wondered what the schedule of a student athlete looks like. From what Coach Tanasoiu told us, it is extremely structured but still includes time to study, practice, go to class and have free time. I do not think that I personally would be able to balance being an athlete with being a student here at Cornell so I applaud those who can. This was one of my favorite Rose Cafes so far. I learned quite a bit of information but I also gained a new perspective on the lives of student athletes.