Teens in tennis leadership program taught skills to live successful lives

Samantha Martinelli, 18, is the foundation’s 86th student athlete to be offered a scholarship to a major university. She plans to attend Yale University in September. In 2015, she won the Easter Bowl and National Clay Court Championship. Martinelli began at the foundation at 13. She said she was “very negative” and critical of bad shots she made, and struggled to stay in the game mentally.

“One of the major things that they talked about was that winning and losing didn’t really matter,” Martinelli said. “It was your attitude, the effort you gave. Did you work your hardest? Because that’s what it’s really about.”

A recent visit with the team at Lorenzi Park at 3343 W. Washington Ave., where about a dozen teens were meeting, offered insight into the foundation’s approach. The programming takes place after tennis lessons are finished, and sessions can take up to four hours. Lessons cover nutritional counseling, mental-toughness training, drug/alcohol education and attitude counseling. More in-depth talks include how to let go of resentment, releasing negative thoughts and dealing with insecurity.

“I talk to people when we do events and people are like, ‘How do you know all this stuff? I only learned that when I was 45 or 50 or whatever,’” said Sophie Henderson, 17. “So, we have an edge.”

Allejandro Quiles, 16, said that before his involvement in the foundation, he was an average student who “did OK, but if I hadn’t joined the foundation, I may have been sucked in by temptations and the wrong crowd.”

It’s not all sit-down lessons. The positive-social-life aspect offers activities: concerts, plays, camping, karaoke, rafting, museum visits, movie nights and dinners.

“By occupying a child’s down time with fun activities, in a positive environment, they get a break from school and tennis and learn how to enjoy life the right way,” said Ryan Wolfington, executive director of U.S. Tennis Association Nevada, which runs the program.

Players were eager to share how the foundation has changed them. Sophie Henderson, 17, said she learned she could control her happiness.

“I used to hate school. Now I can’t wait to go,” she said. “And in tennis, they teach you it’s not about the results, it’s about the process.”

Erin Wilson, 15, said that before, her mind would wander and it was hard to focus, but meditation techniques taught at the foundation led to self-realization and to “love myself a lot more.”

The teens said it would have taken years, decades even, to learn those life lessons if not for the Hennessy Foundation’s approach.

Children as young as 3 can start in the free community tennis program. The leadership program starts when participants are 7 years old, getting more in depth as players reach seventh or eighth grade.

Teens are required to help the foundation by organizing fundraising efforts, retreats, trips and special events. They also perform menial tasks such as clean-up duties. It’s all aimed at helping them build confidence and know themselves better.

“It helped me grow because I figured out more about myself by connecting with other people, that it’s not necessarily about me,” said Lear Yeshayahu, 15, adding that it led to a realization that she wants to work with charities.

Another aspect is Team Bryan, which operates under the umbrella of the Hennessy Foundation’s Inspiring Children program. Team Bryan is a leadership program for those with a 3.5 GPA or higher and is sponsored by mentors Bob and Mike Bryan, a famed U.S. tennis doubles team.

Martinelli said that without the leadership training, she would not have applied to Yale.

“I wouldn’t have even had a goal like that,” she said.

To reach Summerlin Area View reporter Jan Hogan, email jhogan@viewnews.com or call 702-387-2949.