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PHOTO CREDIT: TASHA COWDEN
Seth recovers a ball from the corner. He hits it hard and away, getting it over the net in this close point.
Many people who know Seth Cowden will say he is one of the friendliest people they’ve interacted with. Not surprisingly, he brings this positive energy with him to the tennis courts.
DSA senior Seth Cowden won two gold medals for tennis at the NC Fall Special Olympics 2023. One medal was for singles, and the other was for Unified Doubles, with his sister Giselle Cowden as his partner. His success could be attributed to a mix of talent, practice, and a positive mindset.
“That’s definitely his thing, he loves tennis,” Giselle stated.
Seth started playing tennis in 5th grade, when he was 11 years old. He started playing on the DSA high school tennis team in 10th grade. He practices tennis with many people: his sister, his dad, his team, and his coaches. His experience proved useful in the Special Olympics.
“It was in Charlotte, NC, and it was fun. My sister and the coaches were there, plus my tennis team,” Seth said.
The Special Olympics is an athletic competition, as well as year-round training, for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. It showcases that these individuals are just as capable in sports as anyone else. North Carolina has one of the largest programs in the world, with nearly 40,000 registered athletes.
“We ended up playing against different teams that also had a unified doubles partner and an athlete. And then if we won that, we went to the next round,” Giselle explained.
In Unified Doubles Tennis, teams composed of players with disabilities (referred to as athletes) and players without disabilities (referred to as Unified Partners) play together in matches against doubles teams of similar ability levels. The athlete is responsible for winning the point, whereas the Unified Partner’s role is to keep the rally going.
“It’s really cool seeing him do something he really enjoys, and that he can do with me, because we’re both practically the same level,” Giselle remarked.
Behind each successful player there is a story of talent, but also lots of practice. Seth practiced with his dad leading up to the competition. He noted that his dad hits hard, which could be one explanation for Seth’s (and Giselle’s) powerful stroke.
“Me and my brother always used to play against my dad. We played Canadian doubles, which is basically two against one,” Giselle continued.
Practice overlaps with in-game strategy. Tennis is a game that requires mental strength, as it is very technical. How a player performs during key points can make or break a game.
“I handled deuces by hitting it away and being calm,” Seth shared. “I try to take some deep breaths and have fun.”
When a player uses an optimistic mindset like Seth’s, it makes the body looser, allowing for shots to be cleaner and more powerful. But even more so, the best athletes are having fun- the professionals work hard because they truly enjoy their sport.
“I really enjoy playing and watching my favorite players play tennis,” Seth said.
Some of his favorite players are Novak Djokovic, Serena Williams, Roger Federer, and Coco Gauff. Gauff won the 2023 US Open at 19 years old this year. During an interview afterward, she talked about the importance of approaching a match with a positive mindset.
“I can smile too,” Gauff said, “It's making tennis more enjoyable.”
With two gold medals and a positive attitude under his belt, anything is possible for Seth Cowden. His advice for aspiring athletes out there?
“Play hard, use your voice, be a leader.”
PHOTO CREDIT: TASHA COWDEN
Seth and Giselle pose for pictures after their win. They played Unified Doubles, and won gold after three rounds.
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