Scholarships

Elementary School Scholarship:

Faris Said w/Coach Kirstie Marx

“Faris Said eats, breathes and lives tennis. He watches hours of tennis matches, plays with his younger brother and uncle and would live on a tennis court if he could. Faris has type 1 diabetes yet it doesn’t define him. The other kids ask him why he has a funny-looking machine on his arm and he is open and tells them why. In our lesson this week his blood sugar dropped really low. He quickly ate candy to raise his blood sugar level and was back on the courts minutes later. We talked about how having diabetes doesn’t define who he is, his tennis will.  After the lesson was over, he told me he wants to be a professional tennis player when he grows up. I love it! The desire is there, the work ethic is there and his heart is already there.”

Middle School Scholarship:

Aaron Frederic

Aaron attended the WWTA’s outreach programs last October. Ever since he has been waiting to take additional lessons. Transportation challenges have made it hard but he keeps his spirit up that one day he will get an opportunity to learn this beautiful game.  He is excited to take some tennis lessons this summer!

High School Scholarship:

Evan Moncrief w/Coach Kirstie Marx

“Evan is a sophomore at Athens Drive where he plays number four. Evan grew up in a tennis family and loves the game. About 18 months ago I could tell there was a change in Evan. It was like all of a sudden he realized his potential  and asked what he would need to do to become a better player. As a coach, this is the moment you look forward to when a player takes their own initiative. Evan started working on his footwork, and his serve, but especially on the mental side of tennis, he started to believe in himself. I have seen a huge change in his attitude, his work ethic but also in his love of the game.  Evan is not a player to show a ton of emotion on the court, but in recent months I have seen the joy in him believing in yourself, hitting the shots you practice, and reaching your goals. He was a team captain for the 18U JTT team.  Evan Moncrief stands out for his passion for the game, his commitment to improvement, his support of his coach and kindness to his peers.

High School Scholarship:

Neha Zacharia w/Coach Stacie Fernstrum

“Neha is so sweet. She thanks me whenever I give her tips on the court! Neha is only a freshman. She is going to grow as a player so much in the next 3 years.  She has the desire and a very good work ethic.  She is a great teammate too.  Always supportive of everyone and tries to learn from others. Neha is always smiling!”

High School Scholarship:

Lily Murray w/Coach Stacie Fernstrum

“Lily enjoys being part of the Panther Creek team. She is a leader off the court as well. In a sport that is very individual, she makes an effort to get the girls together and support one another. She often led our conditioning. Lily does not hesitate to help a teammate on or off the court.”

High School Scholarship:

Rahul Santharaam w/Coach Stacie Fernstrum

“Rahul’s goal is to be in the Top 6. He works hard and always asks what he can do to improve. As a junior he has worked his way up and plays Doubles 3 consistently. He doesn’t give up and works hard to achieve his goal. He is also a very mature player. Even though he is only a junior, he is a co-captain on the team and doing a great job. He is encouraging to his teammates and takes the initiative to get everyone involved.”