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Bollettieri visits Manchester Memorial

October 27, 2014

MANCHESTER, MA — Students at Manchester Memorial School were treated to a presentation by Nick Bollettieri. The world-famous tennis coach was here for the weekend visiting Manchester Athletic Club’s MAC Tennis program, where he gave private and group lessons to hundreds of up-and-coming tennis players from around New England, including those in the MAC Tennis Academy program.

430 students in grades K-5 were treated to a Q&A with the energetic octogenarian who created the first full-time tennis boarding school that combined on-court training with an academic curriculum. A method that produced 10 number-one world-ranked players, including Andre Agassi, Maria Sharapova, and Venus and Serena Williams.

Bollettieri spoke to students about their school’s core values: Honesty, Effort, Acceptance, Respect and Responsibility, and Thoughtfulness (HEART); as well as the importance of education, working hard, and living a healthy lifestyle.

“A positive attitude gives you a chance to be successful and can make the impossible possible,” Bollettieri told students. “If you feel that you are special, you have to prove that you are special. Don’t ever say I can’t, say I will. If you put everything you have—every ounce of effort—into winning, then you are a winner no matter the final score.”

“Nick is a great example to young people of how discipline and hard work can provide opportunities and lead to great success,” said John Willis, Principal at Manchester Memorial Elementary School.” He has travelled the world motivating young people, and a lot of what he believes in is what we teach our students here.”

Bollettieri’s visit was made possible by the MAC Sports Foundation, which was created in 2012 by Manchester Athletic Club in partnership with the United States Tennis Association (USTA). The mission of the Foundation is to offer scholarships to talented junior athletes who do not have the financial means to reach their goals, as well as to provide grants to schools and community organizations offering youth athletic programs.

Manchester Athletic Club is located in Manchester by-the-Sea, MA, and is the only USTA Training Center in New England and one of only 12 USTA Regional Training Centers in the country. MAC is also home to New England’s professional tennis team, The Boston Lobsters.

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Photo caption: Back Row: Tennis legend, Nick Bollettieri, with Manchester Memorial Elementary School Principal, John Willis. Front row: Students: Cole Riehl, Maria Rising, Milo Zeltzer, Nina Zalosh, Lily Stefanovich, Tess Carpenter and Hannah Davis.