Breck on an ICTA Global Mission during the Nasdaq 100 Open in Key Biscayne!

I’d like to share with you my 8+ year personal experience as being part of the remarkable story of Scott Paschal, the founder and President of the International Christian Tennis Association; and of Rachel and Melody Snelen who have dedicated over 6 years of their lives to the development of ICTA.

All three of them have overcome personal tragedy, but the story I want to tell is of their faith, hard work and perseverance in pursuing a dream of becoming tennis players, coaches and most importantly, leaders of a Christian tennis ministry which has encompassed the globe.

I became involved in junior tennis in Texas in 1995 when my family moved to Texas from California. My youngest daughter was doing well in junior tennis in California and she continued to excel when we got to Texas… holding the #1 state ranking in both 14’s and 16’s simultaneously in addition to her #11 G14 USTA national ranking.

She worked out at the Brookhaven Academy in Dallas, which is well-known for its excellence, and we traveled to junior tournaments all over the state and the nation. I got a thorough education in competitive tennis during this period, and I’ve continued to learn by competing in my age group here in Texas.

I don’t remember the first time I saw them, but Melody and Rachel worked out regularly at Martin High School in Arlington where I enjoyed playing with my tennis buddies after work and on weekends. We marveled at how skilled and diligent they were as they went about their various drills.

Unfortunately, their family situation didn’t allow them to work out at an elite academy like Brookhaven, or get much tournament experience. But they obviously loved tennis and worked at it as best they knew.

Soon, I began to notice Rachel and Melody with Scott at the same top level junior tournaments in which my daughter was competing.

Sometimes junior tennis parents and coaches don’t get along, probably because of an overzealous competitive spirit, but I worked at developing friendships with other parents and coaches. I noticed Scott did the same. So it wasn’t long before I was talking tennis with Scott and cheering for Rachel and Melody.

From Scott I learned of the long years he put in at various tennis academies and clubs, learning the game and how to coach from the best in the business. I benefited from his encyclopedic knowledge of the game.

I met Rachel and Melody’s father as his health was failing, and soon he passed away.

From Rachel and Melody I was aware of the abuse heaped upon them by their mother. (editor’s note… parenting while dealing with difficulties in life can be hard for some, for the last year the mother has worked towards developing a healthy relationship with Rach and Mel. Rach and Mel are amazingly forgiving, they are all to be commended.)

And I’ve seen them work, through it all, with unbelievable intensity to develop their tennis skills.

One of the things I learned during my journey through junior tennis is that tennis is a special activity. You can’t become a winner on the tennis court until you develop character, and once you develop character you’re a winner no matter what the score of any particular match.

By character, I mean all those qualities that we admire in people: hard work, honesty, obedience, unselfishness, a solid moral sense, and faith. Of course, you also need tennis skills and God-given athletic talent, but those alone won’t suffice.

Over the years I’ve admired Scott as he patiently taught tennis skills to Melody, Rachel and other students, but more importantly he has gone the extra mile to develop character in his students.

It’s a remarkable thing to watch Scott exercise his great gift as he teaches young men and women the skills they need for success on the tennis court and in life.

As this trio worked at tennis, and life, I also became aware of Scott’s, and by extension Rachel’s and Melody’s, dream of founding a ministry to spread their Christian faith through the sport of tennis.

Scott envisioned mission trips to all the major tennis tournaments, and a Christian-based tennis academy for aspiring tennis players of all ages.

I have to admit that at first I didn’t think there was much chance they would succeed. The leap from one coach, two teenagers and a couple of local students working out on high school tennis courts to a world-wide sports ministry and major tennis academy with world-class facilities, seemed impossible.

Money for simple living expenses was tight – where would the means for a ministry and an academy come from? My wife and I helped out where we could while we wondered how long they could go on.

Their faith that they would find the path seemed unfathomable to us.

Nevertheless, I worked with Scott as various opportunities came to light. At one point a tennis club in Ft. Worth that had been in bankruptcy was bought by a new owner, and I helped Scott put together a business plan for a bid to run the tennis programs there, with the creation of a junior academy in the future.

But Scott sensed that this wasn’t the right opportunity and didn’t submit the bid.

I didn’t understand why, but I’ve learned to be patient. Scott’s faith is remarkably strong, and he’s willing to keep to that faith when others question it. There were lots of other tempting deals. Scott would call me every now and then to tell me about bankrupt facilities that might be available, or opportunities in places like Greece, but none was right.

Before long, Scott and the twins were off to Palm Coast and the Player’s Racquet Club. Scott earned the job as General Manager and Melody and Rachel did everything from running the pro shop to stringing rackets.

The bottom line for this experience was that they established themselves in Florida, which we all know is the place to be for tennis, and mastered the details of managing and operating a tennis club, skills that I’m certain they will be grateful for in the coming years.

But, again, Scott realized that Player’s wasn’t on the path either. I don’t know where he gets the faith and courage to quit a job and follow a dream, but he seems to have a gift for obeying a higher sense of purpose.

Today, the path is becoming clearer as ICTA gathers members and supporters.

Wise and highly competent business and tennis professionals are lining up to help make Scott’s, Melody’s and Rachel’s dream of a world-wide Christian tennis ministry a reality.

There are still many miles to travel, but the dream is taking shape.

Mission trips to major tournaments, once a distant vision, are happening regularly.

ICTA membership, once confined to a handful of faithful here in Arlington, is booming.

It’s a wonderful story of faith and perseverance, but it’s not nearly complete. There is still a place in ICTA for everyone who would like share the dream and help make it a reality.

If you find this idea appealing, I strongly recommend you join the ICTA team and let Scott, Rachel, Melody, and the current members of the International Christian Tennis Association lead you into the future of tennis.

Breck Henderson