Dear Washington: Kat Kopcalic - University of Washington Athletics

Dear Washington,

As I sat down to write this letter, I found myself engulfed by countless emotions as I reflected on my time as a student-athlete at UW. How can I describe, in a limited amount of space, the memories that have completely changed who I am and shaped the way I look at life, relationships, and teamwork?

I remember when I started my search for a D1 University. I created a spreadsheet consisting of schools that I could potentially go to based on some criteria that were important to me. I narrowed down my list to five schools, UW being one of them. Many things were unknown to me at the time; however, I was fortunate enough to get to visit UW, which helped me make my decision.

During my visit, I was blown away by the facilities; the training room, the beautiful purple courts, the locker room, the giant football stadium, and the incredible view of Montlake from Conibear. I also got to hear all the wonderful opportunities and resources available to me as a student athlete. I became familiar with the goals of the tennis program and the visions of the university, and I got to meet the amazing staff and girls on the team. I remember thinking to myself: “Well. All of this was certainly not on my spreadsheet. Was this all normal?” It became quite clear to me a little while afterwards: I wanted to become a Husky.

However, l didn’t know at the time what being a Husky truly meant. To be honest, I’ve been constantly learning for four years now, and I am still learning. The journey I had embarked on starting the moment I made that phone call to Robin was beyond anything I could imagine. Becoming a part of something so much bigger than just myself required me to constantly grow as a person and keep pushing myself to become a little better with each day.

The best part of being a Husky was that I was always surrounded by a group of incredible people. Throughout my four years, the girls and coaches that I shared my experiences with became my new family. We would spend hours together every day, playing tennis and having fun. I will never forget the days we spent making our “vision board” – the goals we want to accomplish that year, yelling “go Dawgs!” to each other during practice and matches, the scavenger hunts at lake Chelan during our team retreats, the escape rooms, cooking dinners for each other, pretending to study while really watching the Bachelor, building Ikea furniture together, and making each other tea when one of us was sick. Then there were the trips we went on, the hours on the tennis court, and the countless matches we won and lost together. The bonds and memories we created together are the reason why UW will forever hold a very special place in my heart.

So, what does being a Husky truly mean? For me, being a Husky is about being a teammate. It was the most important lesson I learned, and it wasn’t even in a classroom. For me, that meant giving your all to everyone every day. It meant giving your best effort no matter how hard it is because you know your teammate is doing the same for you, listening to someone else and helping them overcome their obstacles, welcoming with open arms people from all over the world and working together every day to achieve a common goal. It was celebrating together when you reached that goal, and finally, just appreciating being there with each other no matter what the final outcome was on the tennis court.

I saw this embodied by everyone I interacted with at UW which really helped me embrace the idea. The support and unity shared by every employee, donor, professor, and coach was to try and make everyone’s experience the best it could be. Looking back, there were countless resources available to help student-athletes reach their goals. At any time during my experience there were tutors, coaches, psychologists, physiotherapists, doctors, and academic advisors available for anything I needed. On top of this, events and organizations such as Dinner with a Dawg, Special Olympics, and Donor Dinners, WSAAC, and peer advocates were there to let student -athletes explore and expand their other interests. It is through the care, dedication and teamwork of the staff and students that made all these resources possible and manifested what being a Husky truly meant.

For anyone coming into UW I would tell them three things. First, I would say: “you got this queen”, as my teammates would to say to me. I would also remind them to enjoy every moment and always keep an open mind. Finally, I would tell them to spend as much time as possible enjoying the beautiful campus cherry blossoms because they don’t bloom for long!

I guess what I’m really trying to say is thank you. Thank you to all those with who I shared laughs, tears, lessons, and accomplishments with. Thank you to the staff, the donors, and to those who worked behind the scenes that I never got a chance to see. Thank you especially to my coaches and my teammates. Without all of you, UW wouldn’t be the amazing place it is today. You have all left an everlasting impression on me and are the reason why I can call UW my home away from home.

Sincerely,

Kat Kopcalic
Women's Tennis
Class of 2020