Today we’d like to introduce you to Sydney Bwalya.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am a former professional tennis player from Zambia in Africa. I began playing the game of tennis at the age of 8, and I was coached by my father Adrian. I emerged as one of the top junior players in Zambia and Africa. I reached No. 295 in the world International Tennis Federation (ITF) junior rankings as a teenager, and later became a stalwart on the Zambian Davis Cup team from 1995-2001. Before being named to the 1997 Davis Cup team, I won both the Zambian Closed and Open Championships.
To this day, I remain Zambia’s winningest Davis Cup player ever, with 22 match wins in singles and 10 in doubles. I reached as high as the 900 in the ATP rankings, playing in several ITF Futures and Challenger events in and around Africa.
I moved to the United States in 2000, taking a tennis scholarship at Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kansas at age 25. In my first season at BCCC, I helped the school to a second-place finish in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Championships. I was named to the ITA/NJCAA All-American team in 2000 and 2001.
Two years later, I transferred to Washburn University in Topeka and played No. 1 singles and doubles for the Ichabods. I helped the Ichabods qualify for their first NCAA Division II National Championships.
I returned to Barton County Community College (BCCC) in April 2004 to assume the head coaching role of both the men’s and women’s teams. During my four seasons at Barton, I turned the Cougar tennis program into a formidable force. I guided the men’s tennis team to its eighth consecutive KJCCC Regional win and national qualifications. The 2006-08 women’s squads were ranked No. 6 in the nation––the highest ranking in Cougar tennis history.
Following the 2008 season, I received the Coach of the Year Award from Intercollegiate Tennis Athletics (ITA.) That same year, I was inducted into the Barton Sports Hall of Fame.
I am currently a tennis professional at the T Bar M Racquet Club in North Dallas. Before assuming my Tennis Proposition, I was on the athletics staff at McPherson College in Kansas, where I was the head men’s and women’s tennis coach for two years.
Off the court, I have been actively involved with a now Dallas based charity organization called Love-40. for which I am a co-founder and current president. Love-40 was created over ten years ago in Hoisington, Kansas by Zane Ochs, with a great amount of help and inspiration from Mark Harris, a former local high school tennis coach and a good friend of mine.
Love 40 is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that focuses on helping children in the impoverished nation of Zambia. Our unique charity is aimed at improving the lives of Zambian children by introducing them to the world of tennis and also by providing them ongoing instruction. Thanks to hard work, gracious volunteers, and generous donations, we’re helping the children of Zambia receive proper equipment to learn and play the sport of tennis.
We collect monetary donations to help education cost, renovated tennis courts, used tennis equipment in good condition (such as racquets, bags, and balls), and clothing ( such as tennis shoes, shorts, socks, etc.). These donations go directly to the children in Zambia, Africa in the hope of helping them to even the score. Donated items are shipped to Zambia every six months
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?
It has not been easy, from the beginning, we were blessed enough that we had close friends and family members that came along and supported us through their generosity by donating the basic and necessary tennis equipment we needed. We needed things like rackets, balls, shoes, strings, nets and tennis clothes. Once we collected the equipment, came the biggest challenge of all. We needed the money to ship all the equipment to Africa so children can start using them per our mission.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have money as an organization as people were willing to donate only equipment but not money because we were not 501c3 registered organization. So the three of us then, Mark and Zane had to dig in our pockets so equipment can be shipped while we are figuring out as to how we can obtain the 501C3 status.
Fast forward, when the organization moved from Kansas to Dallas, Texas in 2011, we were able to form a board of Directors. First on the agenda was to obtain a 501c3 status which we eventually attained through the help of the Wilensky family. since then we have been able to receive more support and donations mainly from the families and donors around Texas and Dallas area.
We have been able to ship boxes containing equipment at 4 times per year. We really appreciate every support we receive, small or big. We know the value of making our donor’s dollar stretch, so we want them to know that their support for Love-40 extends far beyond shipping equipment to Africa. It also helps provide education cost for the children in the program.
Obviously without donors, would d be nothing. They are the peanut butter to our jelly and the Batman to our Robin. An equipment donation box is currently located at T Bar M Racquet Club in Dallas and all monetary donation are given to us via mail or our website donation button.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Love-40 – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Love 40 is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that focuses on helping children in the impoverished nation of Zambia. Our unique charity is aimed at improving the lives of Zambian children by introducing them to the world of tennis and also by providing them ongoing instruction. Thanks to hard work, gracious volunteers, and generous donations, we’re helping the children of Zambia receive proper equipment to learn and play the sport of tennis.
While tennis is a focal point, Love 40 is about so much more. Tennis, like most sports and social, community-based events, gives Zambian children the opportunity to interact with one another so as to benefit their social, mental, and physical growth. Tennis is the conduit that lifts these children’s self-esteem, gives them a strong sense of purpose, and instills in them the virtues of commitment and hard work.
In tennis, Love-40 means that a player’s opponent has won the first three points of the game and the player must face a tough challenge to even up the score or win the game. This scenario reflects the difficulties that Zambian children face every day of their lives. For the children, this charity will help. There are many challenges to face in everyday life in Zambia. Our goal is to do all we can to help these children meet and overcome their challenges.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Besides growing our youth tennis program, we plan to expand the education program that we started early February of 2017. Our goal is to ensure that all the children in our program also sits in a classroom and eventually graduates. This will require more funds to make sure we make this possible.
In order to achieve this goal, we need to keep our donors engaged and let them know that they are part of the team. We believe that they are one of the most integral parts of our organization. We want to make sure we are honoring those who have invested in our program and believe in our leadership.
Contact Info:
- Address: 14322 Montfort Dr Dallas, TX 75254
- Website: Love-40.org
- Phone: 4694004681
- Email: info@love-40.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Love-40-159106630908895/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Love40tennisorg
- Other: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/47-5344790
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