Sports
Legend Talks with Manchester Memorial Students.
MANCHESTER, MA—October
27, 2014. Students at Manchester Memorial School were treated to a presentation
by Nick Bollettieri. The world-famous and Hall of Fame tennis coach was here this
week visiting Manchester Athletic Club’s MAC Tennis program, where he gave
private and group lessons to up-and-coming tennis players from around New
England, including those in the MAC Tennis Academy program.
430 students in grades
K-5 were treated to a Q&A with the energetic octogenarian who created the first full-time
tennis boarding school that combined on-court training with an academic
curriculum. A method that produced 10 number-one world-ranked players, including
Andre Agassi, Maria Sharapova, and Venus and Serena Williams.
Bollettieri spoke to
students about their school’s core values: Honesty, Effort, Acceptance, Respect and Responsibility, and Thoughtfulness
(HEART); as well as the importance of education, working hard, and living a
healthy lifestyle.
“A positive attitude gives you a
chance to be successful and can make the impossible possible”, Bollettieri told
students. “If you feel that you are special, you have to prove that you are
special. Don’t ever say I can’t, say I will. If you put everything you
have—every ounce of effort—into winning, then you are a winner no matter the
final score.”
"Nick is a great example
to young people of how discipline and hard work can provide opportunities and
lead to great success," said John Willis, Principal at Manchester Memorial
Elementary School." He has travelled the world motivating young people,
and a lot of what he believes in is what we teach our students here."
Bollettieri’s visit was
made possible by the MAC Sports Foundation, which was created in 2012 by
Manchester Athletic Club in partnership with the United States Tennis
Association (USTA). The mission of the Foundation is to offer scholarships to
junior athletes who do not have the financial means to reach their goals, as
well as to provide grants to schools and community organizations offering youth
athletic programs.
Manchester
Athletic Club is located in Manchester by-the-Sea, MA, and is the only USTA
Training Center in New England and one of only 12 USTA Regional Training Centers
in the country. MAC is also home to New England’s professional tennis team, The
Boston Lobsters.
