You Can Get There From Here:
Part 8
Barry Buss
A couple of days at home. Enough time to do laundry and that was about it. I'm sure I had classes, but I couldn't have picked my professors out of a line-up. No trouble finding the practice courts though for two more days of grueling drills in preparation for the Pac-10 Championships.
Wednesday morning. Another road trip. Another week away from school. This time back up to Ojai. Arriving at Libby Park, this time as part of UCLA with the center courts reserved for us. We knocked out a quick practice, then right when wrapping up, the draws were released. I scoured it quickly. All the conference's top players. It was a who's who of American tennis. I find my name in the draw. I'm a who now.
I have a rough draw. They're all rough, but mine's particularly rough. Jim Grabb from Stanford first round; he hadn't lost a dual match all season. And if I survived that, Todd Witsken again in the afternoon. Stanford, USC. Wouldn't want it any other way.
The following morning, warming up on the top courts of Libby to a full house on a postcard-perfect Southern California Spring day. I noticed young faces pushed up against the fence, starry-eyed, watching me and my fellow Bruins hit, dreaming like I once dreamed that maybe that could be them out there someday.
