16-Year-Old Metro Christian Tennis Player Wins Scholarship, Trip To US Open

A 16-year-old at Metro Christian just won scholarship money and a trip to the U.S. Open because of her character and achievements. 

She said she hopes to encourage other teenagers that obstacles in your path don't have to stop you from achieving big goals.

"I started playing tennis when I was pretty young. It was just really for fun," said 16-year-old Ivy Wilson. 

From the beginning of her tennis journey at a young age to now, this sport is still bringing Wilson life lessons, wonderful friends, and amazing experiences.

"You are out there by yourself so every mental problem that arises, you have to fix it yourself," said Wilson. 

She is an accomplished tennis player, and it makes sense - she is very good at taking obstacles that come her way and turning them into points she needs to win a game.

"This number right here is my blood sugar and I have a needle right here in my body and that syncs with this," said Wilson. "There is not a good time to be diagnosed with diabetes but if there were a right time, it would be in this day and age, just because of the technology."

Wilson was diagnosed with diabetes when she was three years old. She has a pump that she works with daily to regulate her blood sugars.

She said it has taken her years to realize that, while this disease has felt overwhelming at times, it is more of a gift; it gives her an edge, one that helped her recently win a national scholarship for tennis players with diabetes.

"I win a large amount of money to really whatever I need - education, tennis, or diabetes supplies which is such a blessing in itself. It is huge. Also, I got to go to the U.S. Open September," said Wilson, "It makes me want to show people like me, yes, I deal with this, I have it, but it doesn't define who I am. It is not going to define my choices; it is not going to define how I treat people."

For more information on the scholarship, click here.