William Jewell College head men's and women's tennis coach Paul Worstell feels like a kid on Christmas morning.  Worstell is back at Jewell doing what he enjoys most: coaching the men's and women's tennis teams.  When he started planning the teams first road trip of the season this week it all finally hit him.  "It feels so good to have my life back," said Worstell.  "I am so in awe of how far God has carried me through in the last year and a half of my life."
 
Twenty one months ago, Worstell, the winningest coach in women's tennis history at Jewell and second all time in men's wins, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.  He took a leave of absence for the 2013-14 season, turning the team over to current assistant and former high school coach Lanny Wake.
 
"I still remember Coach Wake coming in the day I found out I was going to be out for the year," said Worstell.  "He just looked at me and said 'You worry about getting better and I will take care of everything.'  That brought so much comfort to me."
 
The team struggled as far as wins and losses and Worstell as much as he tried thought constantly how things could have been different if he would have been able to finish recruiting and planning.  The physical pain he went through was tough but so was being away from his family and his team. 
 
Worstell endured nine rounds of chemotherapy from May 2103 to December 2013.  He was declared in remission in July 2013 but due to the aggressive type of leukemia he was told from the beginning that once he reached remission the doctors would start the process of finding a bone marrow donor. 
 
The doctors found a perfect match from a young man overseas and on January 11, 2014, Worstell, and his wife Kristi, relocated to Omaha, Neb., to undergo a life-saving stem-cell transplant.  The procedure took place on January 17, 2014, and Worstell was required to stay in Omaha for 100 days as the doctors monitored his condition very closely. 
 
Quarantined from his family and his team because of a weak immune system, tears rolled down his face when he had a chance to see them play in nearby Lincoln, Neb., last February the site where the women's team will travel to this weekend. Two days before the match however, doctors decided against it.  It was too risky with his weakened immune system.

"That was tough because I had it in my mind what I was going to say to them and all I thought about for almost a week was being back in the middle of the huddle and cheering the team on.  But I ultimately came to grip with the decision and realized it could have led to a major setback and things were progressing really well at that point."
 
Worstell feels in some sense that this season is like his first year at Jewell.   The doctors declared him cancer free in late April of 2104 and he returned home to Liberty, Mo., on April 25, 2014.  He then returned to work on Monday, April 28, and has been working ever since.  Worstell knows this experience has changed his life for the good.
 
"Oh sure, it taught me all about perspective.  I want to win just as much as the next coach but it's not life and death and I certainly won't let a bad practice or a tough loss eat at me anymore.  Honestly, I always took my health for granted," says Worstell, who is now in his 10th season as a head coach. "Having a doctor come into a room and tell you have a life-threatening form of cancer and we need to get on this immediately is a punch in the gut.  If it were not for my deep faith and the support of my family and friends I am not sure I would be where I am today."
 
Both the men's and women's teams are looking forward to fresh starts in 2015. 
 
"It's not fair to say last year was a struggle because I know everyone especially Coach Wake worked hard to make it enjoyable," said senior captain Loree Hazelrigg.  "Since Coach Worstell has been back things are back in place and running smoothly.  I'm very glad that he was able to come back to enjoy Conner (Hazelrigg), Katy (Lehenbauer) and I's last year."
 
The women will travel to Grand Island, Neb., and Lincoln Neb., for matches on Friday and Saturday.  The men's team will make the same trip the following weekend.  The men feel a new sense of motivation for the season as well.
 
"Learning that Coach Worstell would be unable to return to Jewell for my sophomore year was heartbreaking news and it definitely hit the team hard," said junior captain Dean Pinkas.  "Having Coach return to the team my junior year has reinvigorated our program and instilled in us more passion than ever before to compete and succeed."
 
The women's team was picked to finish fifth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference western division in 2015 while the men were picked sixth.  Only the top four qualify for the GLVC Tournament April 17-18 at the Plaza Tennis Center in Kansas City, Mo.
 
Worstell is hoping both teams are able to find their way to the tourney.  It will then feel like Christmas all over again for Worstell if that were to happen.