Tennis Legends The Bryan Brothers • “Team Bryan’s“ In Indian Wells California

TEAM BRYAN Changes Lives @ Indian Wells

 

The TEAM BRYAN program for the 16th year organized 400 children, parents and coaches to be inspired by the BNP Paribas Open. The unique part is, the trip is 90% run by the children, as part of their leadership development program, where children learn entrepreneur skills by doing real life projects. Equally special is these at risk youth have become some of the best tennis players in the US, most have straight A’s, and they’ve embraced the program’s cutting edge emphasis on emotional intelligence, mindfulness and mentoring.

 

“We are so proud to mentor and sponsor these children,” said Bob Bryan. “This is our chance to give to children what our parents gave us, an incredible life.”

 

The program is run by The Inspiring Children Foundation, The Bryan Brothers Foundation, and Wayne Bryan, who sponsor these deserving children to an opening night talent show, a clinic with Wayne Bryan, doubles shootout, and two amazing sessions at the tournament where they get to see and cheer on their heroes, Bob and Mike Bryan. The highlight of the trip was getting to go on stage to sing, opening up for the Bryan Brothers band, then dancing the night away to their music.

 

Many of these children have used tennis, academics and the arts through the TEAM BRYAN program, to overcome adversity and challenges in their lives. Children come from Las Vegas, San Diego, Ventura County, Washington, Denver and a special group from the National Tennis Foundation and The Necker Cup. The program was created sixteen years ago by Ryan Wolfington and Marty Hennessy in partnership with the #1 tennis team in history, Bob and Mike Bryan.

 

“Our goal was to continue the tradition Wayne and Kathy Bryan started, by creating the ultimate environment for youth development to take children off the streets and into greatness,” said Co-founder Ryan Wolfington. “Wayne. Kathy, Bob and Mike take a personal interest in these children and are completely changing their lives.”

 

This is not an after school program. This is a comprehensive, six days a week, eleven hours a day program that has remarkable results. Like Bob and Mike, five of the TEAM BRYAN players have reached #1 ranking in the USA, seven reached top 3, and over twenty have reached top 10. To date 116 have earned scholarships to colleges for academics and tennis including the boys alma mater Stanford, and Princeton, Yale, Penn, Brown, Dartmouth, Vanderbilt, Georgetown, and many others.

 

Most importantly the children are given the tools to be emotionally and mentally strong. Partnering with four time Grammy nominated singer Jewel the program arms youth with a “psychology for life” so they can become “professionals at life.” This includes Jewel’s mindfulness and emotional intelligence program that helps the children survive their circumstances, to eventually thrive in all aspects of their lives. The TEAM BRYAN youth are immersed in a very dynamic schooling structure with in depth entrepreneur and leadership development that includes project driven learning. For this trip alone the youth organizer Alejandro Quilles is managing multiple buses and vans, over 600 tickets, 200 hotel room nights, a talent show, clinic, and over 45 five TEAM BRYAN youth are on his crew helping day and night.

 

“I never thought I could achieve so much,” said Alejandro, who is ranked 14 in the USA and will play for Dartmouth University next year. “But I saw my friends do it before me, and that made me know I can do it.”

 

The Inspiring Children Foundation’s TEAM BRYAN program is in Las Vegas, Nevada and is now being duplicated in 16 other cities by the USTA Foundation in the form of “Excellence Teams.” For more information go to www.InspiringChildren.net 

 

ABOUT THE FOUNDATION

The Foundation’s goal is to revolutionize youth development and education by providing an ideal model of education in underserved communities. The leadership program provides youth with a “psychology for life,” with the goal of changing the children’s mindset, to help them deeply appreciate their opportunities, and give their best in everything they do. Through mentoring, entrepreneurial skills, project-driven learning, mindfulness, tennis and “earning their own way,” youth discover the confidence that comes from self-sufficiency and right choices.  The program is designed to go deeper into the subjects of life, character development, excellence, and the pursuit of happiness. The long-term goal is to inspire children to become “professionals at life,” to find peace of mind, so that as leaders and examples of extraordinary living, they can share this wisdom with their families, friends and subsequently their community. By creating the ultimate environment for youth development, the program hopes to inspire systemic change.