Even though it was going to be a long road ahead, Coach Raymundo Perez was excited about his maiden voyage with a new 15 passenger van loaded with the group of kids he’s taking on a five-hour trip from Midland to the Austin Tennis Academy. Coach Perez is the tennis coach at one of the two high schools in Midland (Legacy) and a part-time teaching pro at The Bush Tennis Center. Under the direction of Bush Tennis Center Executive Director Tim Stallard, there is increased emphasis on getting junior players in the community to travel more in search of broadening their horizons. 

Enter Coach Jack Newman. Always a friend to the greater tennis community, during a discussion at a recent tournament held in Texas, Coach Newman heard about a couple kids from Midland looking for some training options for the summer. Upon hearing this, Coach Newman suggested they pull together a group of kids to come down to ATA for a week.

That invitation is all it took for Coach Perez, whose son competes at the same level as ATA’s top boys, and another parent to load up that new van and haul seven kids to Austin for a taste of ATA. Andre Perez, Preston Crutchfield, Jakub Hurst, Vivian Myers, Kate Hendricks, Zoe Castaneda, and Camille Jeane, came and represented themselves, their families, and the community of Midland well with both their tennis work ethic and how they held themselves as people. 

ATA looks forward to a continued and growing relationship with Midland Tennis Center, and programs like it everywhere!