SMU Hall Of Fame: Finding My Own Game — by Claire Sessions

[PonyPride]

From SMUMustangs.com:

SMU Hall Of Fame: Finding My Own Game
By Claire Sessions Bailey

The SMU Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will be recognized at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony on Friday, October 10 in Armstrong Fieldhouse on the SMU Campus. For additional information or for tickets to the SMU Athletics Hall of Fame Banquet, click here.

I didn’t grow up thinking tennis would be my thing.

I was the youngest of three kids in a sports-loving family. My two older brothers, Scott and Craig, were always on the baseball field. I followed them everywhere — to their games, into the yard, into the neighborhood scrimmages.

They didn’t just let me tag along. They included me. Every time. That shaped a lot of who I am.

Tennis came later, around fifth grade.

I started because a friend was playing, and we had courts everywhere in the neighborhood. By most standards, that’s considered late. But something about it clicked.

It helped that tennis wasn’t a sport my brothers played. It could be mine.

And while it came naturally, I still had to work hard to catch up. I played everything growing up, but by 13 or 14, I started to realize I had a shot to be pretty good at this. That’s when I decided to give up the other sports and commit fully.

A turning point came early.

I remember playing in one of my first big state tournaments. I drew the top seed and got beaten badly. I mean 6–0, 6–0. It was humbling.

But six months later, I played her again — and won. Easily.

That stuck with me. It reminded me how fast growth can happen if you stick with it.

My junior year of high school ended in disappointment, losing in the semifinals at state. I still remember coming back in my senior year, determined not to waste the opportunity.
But that state semifinals match? A 3.5-hour marathon. I was down 5–0 in the third set and somehow came back to win.

From there, I found my rhythm and went on to win the 5A singles championship.

What made it even more special was that my coach, Betty Sue Welch, had been the last Highland Park player to win state before me.

Choosing SMU
SMU was always high on my list.

I grew up going to football games, both my parents were Mustangs, and I’d always loved the campus.

Part of me wondered if I should leave home — stretch my comfort zone — but I also wanted to be close to my family, close to my friends.

And I knew at SMU I’d have a great coach in Jai DiLouie.

It just felt right.

I played right away as a freshman, around No. 3 or 4 in the lineup, and continued to contribute each year throughout my college career.

I was always a consistent player, even-tempered on the court, and pretty tough mentally. I didn’t get rattled easily.

Those traits were helpful because we went through a lot of leadership changes. Over my four years at SMU, I had three head coaches. That’s never easy, especially when you’re trying to develop.
But my game really started to progress when Coach Tim Siegel arrived in my junior year. He brought a high-energy style and pushed me in the right ways.

Coach Siegel didn’t just tell me to be aggressive — he showed me how to turn my all-court game into a weapon.

The Match I’ll Never Forget
My senior year, it all came together.

I won the No. 1 singles title in the Southwest Conference. I was named SWC Player of the Year and finished the season ranked No. 26 nationally.

But the moment I’ll never forget?

Beating Texas at home to clinch the SWC title.

That was the match.

The crowd was loud, the stakes were high, and when I won, it wasn’t just about the individual honor.

It was about SMU.

About all the hard work paying off — about all those crammed, never-ending bus rides with my teammates.

Gosh, I miss ‘em.

To this day, that memory is still vivid.

But the moment I’ll never forget? Beating Texas at home to clinch the SWC title. That was the match. The crowd was loud, the stakes were high, and when I won, it wasn’t just about the individual honor. It was about SMU. About all the hard work paying off — about all those crammed, never-ending bus rides with my teammates.

A New Role on the Sidelines
After graduation, I wasn’t totally sure what came next.

I tried playing professionally for a bit — traveling to tournaments, chasing points. It was a grind, and honestly, my heart wasn’t entirely in it at first.

I took some time off. Coached a bit. Taught at a local country club.

Eventually, I found myself back on the circuit — this time on my own terms.

I had more success in doubles and got to see some incredible places. But it could be a lonely and isolating lifestyle.

Then one day, while I was playing in California, someone called to tell me the SMU coaching job had opened up.

I went for it.

I was young, still in my late 20s, and inherited a team with five seniors. The recruiting window was tight, and we had to rebuild.
But I loved it.

Being on the sidelines brought out my competitive side in a new way. I coached for four years, and by my fourth and final season, we were 12–11 and headed in the right direction.
That year, I also had my first child. And as anyone who’s done it knows, balancing travel and a young family is tough.

So I made the difficult decision to step away.

Full Circle
Real estate came next. My mom had been in the business forever, so I’d grown up around it.

It was a natural transition for me, and I’ve been doing it ever since.

I’ve been married to Brock — also an SMU grad — for more than 25 years, and we have three kids: Davis, Ben, and Emily. None of them went to SMU (I tried!), but they, too, grew up going to games and know the campus well.

The university continues to be a big part of our lives.

So when I received the call about being inducted into the SMU Athletics Hall of Fame, I was thrilled — and surprised.

At first, I wasn’t sure I was worthy. So many amazing athletes have come through SMU.

But the more I’ve reflected, the more I’ve realized how much this place shaped me.

It gave me the chance to compete at a high level.

To grow through adversity.

To lead.

And to do it all close to home, with my family cheering me on?

That’s something for which I’ll always be grateful.