Mr. Streeter has also tackled more personal subjects, writing first-person accounts reflecting on race issues in America and telling stories that examine class divisions, specifically the challenges facing lower- and middle-class families trying to afford for their children to play sports.
In August, he wrote his first Sports of The Times column about sports teams protesting for racial justice.
If theres ever a time to try and be a sports columnist, now is the time, Mr. Streeter said. Theres so much going on and so much of it is connected to things Im interested in: race, society, all these things beyond the games.
His years as a professional athlete have armed Mr. Streeter with a specific perspective, rare among his colleagues. He has intimate knowledge of the toils and pressures that athletes endure. He knows the level of dedication that fuels hourslong practice sessions every single day; he understands the rigors of cross-country travel, and much more.
I can relate to that, to the stress of that, to the hopes and dreams of that, Mr. Streeter said.
He said he even wrestled, sometimes, with the question of whether he stopped his tennis career too soon. But Mr. Streeter makes time to play tennis as often as he can, and takes particular pleasure in teaching the game to his 9-year-old son, Ashe. It is with almost equal excitement that Mr. Streeter plans to write about the amazing performances, the highs and lows of everyone connected to sports, not just the champions.
Im more drawn to people who struggle and try to bounce back, Mr. Streeter said. I like the struggle; Im fascinated by the struggle.read more
A Sports Columnist Who Has Been in the Game
