Kevin's Story

I first joined WTEF when I was four years old. That seems like a really long time ago! Raised by my grandmother, I grew up in a neighborhood in Washington that was filled with drugs, crime and violence. Too many of my friends were not able to escape these daily hazards, but WTEF helped me not only escape it, but put me on the road to success. Now I am a junior in college.

The tennis courts were located across the street from my house and there was always someone there from WTEF, especially Willis Thomas, who is a mentor as well as role model/     father figure for me. It was a safe place for me and a place where I gained confidence and     self-respect. Every now and then the hoodlums would come lean on the gates and watch     me and my friends play tennis. They were astonished at what we could do with a racquet     and a bright yellow ball. This made me proud. I showed them I could do something they     could not. Tennis truly kept me off the streets and away from trouble. It shaped who I was     at an early age.

When I was 13, my life took a major turn for the worse. I witnessed a serious crime and my life was threatened. When I talked to the police, the threats only increased. Instead of being protected, I was now targeted with harassment and physical violence from neighborhood gang members. Terrified, I became a recluse in my own community. Unsure what to do or where to turn, I turned back to my family – my friends and coaches at WTEF. They found a way to protect me. One of its Board members found a sponsor for me and I was able to attend a private boarding school. Without her, I am not even sure that I would have made it out of Southeast alive.

I can say without hesitation that the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation has changed my life. Instead of darkness, they gave me a future. Instead of illiteracy, they gave me an education. Instead of sorrow, they gave me a life to embrace. I owe so much to its staff, Board members, volunteers and sponsors. Without them, WTEF would not be able to provide the outstanding programs that give kids like me a chance in life. They not only taught me tennis lessons, they also taught me life lessons. WTEF opened up so many horizons; it allowed me to travel to tennis tournaments and see parts of the country I never imagined and colleges I never dreamed of. I got to play against the best in the country and prove that I belonged.

I know WTEF will continue to touch the lives of so many children here in Washington. With your work, we will not only have a new generation of Washington tennis greats, but a generation of true leaders rising from some of DC’s most dangerous neighborhoods. Thank you so much WTEF!