Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Maldonado.
Alex, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
While I was in college, I got the opportunity to be an assistant coach at our facility in McKinney, TX. A year after I started, I was promoted to Director of 10 and under. I did that job for another year. Then, I graduated from UNT and decided to try the business world for a year and a half. While I was doing that, I received a phone call from the President of the company (Matt Hanlin) telling me that the company just added a Fort Worth facility and they were looking for a General Manager. So, I took the offer and is now been exactly one year and the place keeps growing.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
This first year of management has been complicated. From the bidding process for this place to the first 6 months of operation we have had many struggles. Anything from hate against changes, to infrastructure changes all have been complicated in their own ways. But, nonetheless, today the image that McLeland has is better than ever, and we can’t wait to keep making this facility the best it can be!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Lifetime Tennis is a Tennis management company that works with several cities around the nation. The normal process that we follow is: whenever a public tennis facility goes up to bid and we see that there is potential to grow tennis within that particular city, we bid for it. If we win the bid, we then proceed to manage the facility.
Managing a tennis facility means that we are responsible for any programming, tournaments, events, and staff. One of the qualities that we have as a company is that we understand the market very well and we built a tennis program that fits in the immediate communities following the tennis center. Anywhere from Adult and Junior programming to underprivileged free tennis and Down syndrome kid’s programs, we do it all. It is our goal to grow tennis anywhere we go and if we accomplish putting a racquet on first timers and giving them an excellent experience we have done a massive difference in that community already. There’s so many people out there that have yet to try the beautiful sport that is tennis.
We like to do a lot of outreach programs in order to grow tennis. We usually go to elementary schools to teach tennis for free on PE classes. We also support schools for the Field Trips by allowing them to come to our facility and by teaching the kids for free. Also, every first-time player gets his/her first class absolutely for free.
Also, we collaborate with other sports to give the students a complete athletic experience in which they live a healthier life. Anywhere from swimming to soccer, we partner with other associations to make this possible, especially in the summer when the kids want to be out a whole day playing sports instead of been at home watching TV or playing videogames.
Lastly, because we understand that we are managing public facilities, we also provide prices accordingly. We don’t price our programs like country clubs and we do not require memberships to play. Also, we provide scholarships to kids who need them and have potential to grow in the sport so that maybe one day they play college or professionally.
Overall, we are in the business of introducing tennis to first timers and provide them a healthy, fun, lifelong activity to do in their own community at a very affordable price. And then we grow them so they have lifelong sport to play.
What were you like growing up?
I always been a sport oriented induvial. I come from Mexico so soccer runs in my blood. I started playing since I was 4 years old. I started playing tennis when I was 11 years old and been playing since. I also enjoy music, and I had the opportunity to play piano and drums when I was a kid.
People have always fascinated me, so I enjoy to be around people. I still enjoy meeting new people, making new friends and hanging out with them as long as it is on a healthy environment (especially sports).
Also, I was raised as a man with principles, and for me God has been first and will always be first. Honesty, kindness, love are words and actions that are always in my heart. Ever since I was a kid, and I don’t plan on changing that ever.
Pricing:
- $2.50 per person for 1.5 hrs of outside court
- $28 for 1.5 hrs of indoor court usage
- $12 per hr of Ball Machine usage
- $10 – $25 per group class
- $55 – $60 for 1 hr of private lesson
Contact Info:
- Address: 1600 W Seminary Dr
Fort Worth, TX 76115 - Website: http://www.mclelandtennis.org/
- Phone: (817) 921 -5134
- Email: info@lifetimetennisusa.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mclelandtennis/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/McLelandTennisCenter/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mcleland-tennis-center-fort-worth
Image Credit:
Adrean Indolos Photography
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