Today we’d like to introduce you to Maria Alejandra Hernandez.
Maria, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
A1 Tennis began this year after I got laid off from my job due to the pandemic we are experiencing today. Since tennis has always been part of my life, and a sport that I have not only been practicing for years but teaching from a young age; I decided to take on the challenge to open my tennis academy and follow my father’s path as a tennis pro who I was fortunate to learn what I know today.
How did I get where I am today? When I was three years old, my father introduced me to tennis and I fell in love with the sport so quickly that I wanted to play it my whole life. Throughout the years, I participated in many national tournaments that took me to become #1 for my country Quito, Ecuador. After a few years, we decided to move to the US, where I continued my tennis career playing for my high school to then representing the state of Texas. I was able to obtain a high ranking in the state as top 30, which led me to get a tennis scholarship at Newman University in Kansas.
Teaching tennis began to be my passion when I would come down during summertime to help my dad in his academy. I fell in love with teaching and learning the process of creating an outstanding tennis player. On the other hand, I have always been very social and enjoyed meeting new people, this is why I like to make my classes fun for all, I let me students demonstrate their true personalities in the court, this allows me to get to know my studentsA1 Tennis started when I realized that there weren’t as many female coaches as there is male. So, I wanted to create the opportunity for people to see that a female coach is just as efficient (if not more lol) than a male coach and give people the option to learn and achieve results from something different than the ordinary. I no longer wanted to share this passion and knowledge of tennis with few, but all types of individuals who wanted to learn or continue to grow in the sport. The program is designed to help people from all levels and ages improve their skills in the game with a fun twist. We believe in creating tennis players, not just people who play tennis. We want to raise you to the next level, as a whole and not just as a tennis player, which in the end helps them grow in the sport.
After I graduated college with my bachelors in International Business and Communications, I moved back to Texas and became my father’s right hand of the business, where I was able to learn a lot more about the teaching aspect of the sport. Wanting to expand my horizons, I decided to move to Dallas, where I worked as a tennis pro for Royal Oaks and Fret’z Tennis Center.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was not an easy road at the beginning due to the pandemic. However, it got better through the months when the lockdown was over and people began to be outdoors a little more. Thankfully tennis is a sport where people can maintain their distance, so growing the business was not as hard as I thought it would. And using social media platforms helped me to get myself known in the area.
Please tell us about A1 Tennis.
I am a Female Tennis Pro, who specializes in building outstanding tennis players. One of the things that I am known and differentiate me from other pro is that my students see good results in a short period of time. I am proud to say that all my students have achieved a high level of playing since I started back in June.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
My most memorable memory has been being able to travel all over South America and the US, playing the sport I love and obtaining lifetime friendships.
Pricing:
- Private Lessons range from $60-$80 an hour
- Group Lessons 2+ – $45 an hour
Contact Info:
- Address: 7501 Merriman Pkwy, Dallas, TX 75231
- Phone: 4694630870
- Email: a1tennistx@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a1tennistx/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/a1tennistx
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