Thank You Tennis: Damira Muminovic Reflects on Her Career as a Panther

Dear Tennis,
    You opened a lot of doors for me, one of which was Georgia State and the Panther family. Because of tennis I have met friends, coaches, and professors that I will be connected to for the rest of my life. When I came to America, I knew it was going to be a new and exciting experience for me. As an international student, I came to a totally different continent, country, city, and I did not know what to expect. I went through a lot in four years. I had tough days, but I also had moments I will never forget. I will always talk about these moments with a smile on my face.

    My coach Alex Leatu helped me a lot, and I am thankful I got a chance to be her player. She disciplined me and taught me life lessons. She taught me things I did not know and that no one else had ever mentioned to me before. She was like a second mother, always there for me no matter what.

    I want to say a big thank you to my advisor, Bree Hicken. She was always there for me to keep my grades in line. Without my advisor, I would not have made it through four years at Georgia State. Bree, thank you for your patience!

    I had great teammates. I saw them everyday. And guess what? We had to be together on good days or bad days. Even though we had our tough moments, I always learned from them. We have been changing each other without even knowing it. I have grown up with these girls for four years and I am proud how we have pushed each other. My family was always there for me, but they did not always know what was going on 5210 miles away from home. My teammates and my coaches did. They always encouraged me to push forward and believe in myself. They showed me that I am capable of so many things!

    My favorite memory was when four of us won the Sun Belt Conference in 2018. We went straight to nationals and battled UGA. Every time I think about that moment, my heart gets big because that was something so special for the Georgia State family. All four girls left their hearts on the court. We pushed each other all the way through and we MADE it! Winning the tournament proved to me that our minds are capable of anything when you trust it.
Sun Belt Champions

I want to thank my family for the support they always give me. I want to say thank you to the entire GSU athletic department, who have provided me a scholarship all four years. Thank you again to my coaches, advisor, teammates, and everyone else who has been supporting and encouraging me all these years. It was not always an easy experience, but it was worth it. I will always be a proud Georgia State Panther!

Damira

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