Athletes invest a lot so that they can be at the top of their game. But they also depend on a network of people that help them grow as athletes and people. Lizzy Gilbert has a couple of people that have been key in her development over the years.

“My dad is my biggest role model,” she said. “He has made a lot of sacrifices and puts in the work and that inspires me to work for my goals even if they seem hard to accomplish. Another person would be my tenth-grade Language Arts teacher, who impacted my life by teaching to be unapologetically myself and not change for others.”

Gilbert is in her senior year at Owasso High School, where she is a member of the tennis team. She is also a member of the National Honor Society, the Academic Team, the student council, the senior board, and the Student Advisory Club. Outside of school, Lizzy trains at the Trent Tucker Tennis Academy to help improve her game.

Becoming the tennis player that she is today did not just happen overnight. It took many hours of work and time. But Lizzy says that another member of her team helped her as well.

“It took hours on the court and doing the best I can at every practice without wasting time,” she said. “When I am at practice I enjoy competing against my teammate Andrew because he always puts 100% effort and has a unique style compared to people I normally practice with.”

While she enjoys playing the game of tennis, Gilbert says that there are other aspects of the game that she really likes as well.

“I think the highlight of my career would have to be placing at state and meeting new people at different tournaments,” she stated. “It is also fun when you beat an opponent that you are not supposed to beat. It is a challenge but very rewarding. I also enjoy representing my school and community. It means getting to feel part of a community and playing for something greater than myself.”