July is kicking off with a bang as the International Christian Tennis Association has sent a team of missionaries to Baltimore, Maryland!
This is Scott Paschal...
The ICTA Women's Pro Tennis Team, led by Rach (pictured left), is journeying to an International Tennis Federation, ITF, women's $75,000 tournament.
The ITF provides professional tennis tournaments for tennis players to compete in so they can earn WTA (for women) or ATP (for men) points, as well as a small income to help cover expenses. These points are used to build a players professional WTA or ATP ranking.
ICTA offers a Christian ministry at ITF events such as this one.
Tennis facilities worldwide have amazing people who host ITF events. This is great! The more opportunity players have to develop their skills, the higher their level of play can become. Plus, it is terrific for the reputation of a tennis facility as well as the city where it resides!
The ICTA Women's Pro Tennis Team is competing in the tournament today, as I write. Yet, more importantly, they are meeting new friends and establishing new friendships.
As an example of this, yesterday, Rach hit with a WTA ranked teen entered in the tournament she met soon after arriving at The Tennis Center at College Park, where the tournament is being held.
They established a friendship!
This is great! From this new friendship, two ICTA Pro Tennis Team members received host housing.
How?
Well, Rachel's new friend was rooming with another WTA ranked teen in a host home. They had room for two more! How great is that!? Strong bonds of friendship are forming!
This is really exciting. Rach has already met two new world class WTA ranked players who have become her friends... and new little sisters!
She has received host housing for her time at the FNMC National City Classic ITF $75,000. Plus, she has received a WTA point by being accepted into the qualying draw, which nearly doubled her point total and will raise her WTA ranking by nearly 100 spots. Plus, Rach has earned $160 (minus taxes and entry) to help cover her expenses for this mission trip and for some of her next one!
Each day will bring new friendships and new opportunity for the ICTA Pro Tennis Team. An ITF 75K is the highest level ITF tournament before WTA Tier 3 events.
The competitors in this event are phenomenal! Camile Pin in the main draw is ranked 98 WTA!
And Story Tweedy Yates in the qualifier is ranked 352 WTA! The ICTA Women's Pro Tennis Team will make many frienships with the other players.
Through these contacts and friendships, players from around the world will come to know Christ deeper, or maybe for the first time.
From this, also, the ICTA Tennis Academy will gain new students who will come and train for tennis, for Christian missions, and for further discipleship in Christ.
Players who have been abused will be offered shelter and safety. Young players and their families will receive guidance and support for further success on the pro tour.
Rach first started playing tennis at 12 years of age with her mom, dad, twin sis, and brother at a local park. At 14 years, Rach and her twin, Mel, started hitting on their own wherever they could find a court.
The tennis courts became their home away from home! She had her first tennis lesson at 16, then began training fulltime at the ICTA Tennis Academy shortly after. A
s a beginning level player at 16 year of age, the possibility of her gaining a WTA ranking and playing professional was, well, impossible.
Yet, she did it!
Rach did the impossible!
And her twin sister, Mel, is following right behind her... as always.
Both Rach and Mel are becoming known in the Christian world, as well as the tennis world, as dedicated women who love the Lord with all their hearts. God is blessing them.
What started out as an seemingly impossible dream for a couple of 16 year old twins beginning to take tennis seriously ... to earn a WTA ranking and play pro tennis... has turned into a Christian ministry for both Rach and Mel.
The struggles along this 6+ year journey have been difficult, yet they have overcome every obstacle with class as they have achieved their goal! Both are stronger mentally, emotionally, and spiritually than ever...
Now, God is taking them further than they could have ever dreamed possible... again.
God is using their dream for His ministry.... I'm so proud of them.
Serve hard, gals!
Coach Scotty
