Betsy Nagelson captured five singles titles and 25 double titles during her career.  Her Grand Slam titles included the 1978, 1980 Doubles and 1978 Singles Runner-up at the Australian Open.  She played in the main draw at Wimbledon for 23 consecutive years! When she finally retired in 1994 after a very successful playing career, she continued in tennis as a TV commentator for ESPN and ABC.

In 1973, Betsy Nagelson was on top of the world--the junior tennis world, that is. At 16 years old, she had become the No. 1-ranked junior player. The future looked bright for this teen sensation, and Nagelson quickly made the decision to turn pro. It was a major decision, but not nearly as life-changing as the one she had made earlier that year:the decision to become a Christian.

"I grew up in a church-going home, but I didn't really understand what it meant to be born again and actually have a personal relationship with Christ,"  Betsy explains. "I was shopping at the mall when I saw a Bible display in a bookstore. I picked up one of the Bibles and opened it right to Romans 8:28, where it talks about all things working together for good for those who love God. That verse really hit me. I felt a real hunger to know what else the Bible had to say.

At the invitation of a friend, Nagelson attended a small group Bible study.  It was there that she found out what being a Christian was all about. She invited Jesus Christ into her life and received Him as her Savior. It was a very special time for her.  She had no idea how soon her new faith would be tested.
 
Betsy's debut on the professional tennis tour was an enormous success.  In her very first pro tournament, she beat two top-10-ranked players and made it all the way to the final! It seemed Betsy was headed straight to the top. But instead, a freak injury forced her to make an unexpected detour.

One day at the end of a practice, Betsy impulsively jumped across the net. She fell on the other side of the court and hurt her back. At first it was barely noticeable, just a little ache. But within a week, Nagelson was in excruciating pain--a pain that wouldn't go away.
 
Suddenly, her future in tennis was uncertain at best. "It was extremely frustrating. My tennis career went into a holding pattern. I just couldn't understand why I had to have this injury," Betsy remembers. "It's hard when  you're in the middle of something like that. But as I look back now, I see that it was such a significant time in my life."
 
The Bible verse that had captured her attention in the bookstore before became very meaningful to her. She experienced the truth of Romans 8:28 for herself as her injury turned out to be a blessing in disguise. During her "time off" from tennis, Betsy spent a lot of time in Bible study and prayer. She built relationships with other Christians, who gave her encouragement and support.  This provided her with the firm foundation she would need to help her face the challenges of life as a professional athlete.
 
Nagelson needed a miracle. Nine months of rest and rehabilitation did not improve her back condition. There wasn't anything doctors could do. One evening, Betsy attended a special prayer service with her mother. For a long time they had been asking God to heal Betsy's back. That night, He did!  "I walked out of there without any pain, and I never had another back problem!" Nagelson says.  She was back on the pro tour once again.
 
Recently, Betsy added her most challenging and rewarding role yet. She and her husband, Mark McCormack (founder and Chairman of the International Management Group), are the proud parents of a 1-year-old daughter, Maggie. "She's the single greatest joy in my life," Betsy says. "I didn't know if I'd be able to have a child at my age, so it makes it all the more special. She's a miracle baby! We're so overjoyed and thankful for her."
 
It's too soon to tell whether or not Maggie will have her mom's athletic ability. If she does want to pursue a career in say, tennis, will Betsy encourage her? The sports scene has changed a lot since Mom first turned pro.  "Tennis has followed along with most of the other sports in terms of the pressure of increased prize money, the intensity, the parental involvement and everything," Betsy observes. "Often it's not even fun anymore. It's just too tough - the pressures and the temptations are too great. More than ever, if a young person is going to go in that direction, they need to have such a solid foundation in the Lord. There's no other way to keep your life in track.
 
"But I think we've all been blessed by God with some kind of talent, whether it's in sports, art or music. It's much better to be involved in an activity that you're passionate about than to just hang out at the mall or sit around watching TV. It's good to have something that gives you a sense of purpose and achievement."
 
And, as Betsy points out, it's important to have Christian's in visible positions as role models and leaders. "There are more and more outspoken Christian athletes who are well-known. People are paying attention and listening to what they have to say."
 
Betsy herself is a role model to many young people - especially those at House of Hope, a center for troubled teens in Central Florida. Remembering her own need for guidance and direction as a teenager, Nagelson volunteers regularly at the center. Many of the kids come from broken families. Others have been abused or neglected. Some have gotten into serious trouble. At House of Hope, they receive a lot of love and a lot of discipline. They get a fresh start. And most importantly, they get that firm foundation that changed Betsy's life.
 
"Most of the kids leave after a couple of years not only knowing the Lord, but on fire for Him!" Betsy says. "They can't wait to go out and make an impact on the lives of their peers!"
 
Like most parents, Betsy has hopes and dreams for her own daughter - but it's not a specific career or a particular accomplishment that she has in mind.
 
"I want her to love the Lord and live every day of her life knowing who He is and living out His will for her. That's the most important thing to me!"
 
Additional information on Betsy can be found at http://www.aftour10s.com  a website for former women's professional tennis  players, their friends, family and fans.  Betsy is a advisory board member of Tennis Ambassadors Christian Ministry.

God can and does change lifes.  Put your trust in Him and you will see a change in your life.

Blessings,
Rev. Bob Kraft