CLIENT STORY: Teaching & Mentoring Young Leaders
Haytham Sandu: From TMYL Participant to Tennis Coach
For some young people, a sports program becomes much more than a place to learn the game. It becomes a community, a source of inspiration, and an opportunity to discover new passions. For Haytham Sandu, Teaching and Mentoring Young Leaders (TMYL) has been all those things and more.
Haytham’s journey with TMYL began when he was a child. After his mother heard about the program, she signed him up, introducing him to an experience that would shape the next 11 years of his life. What started as an opportunity to play tennis eventually grew into a passion for coaching and helping the next generation of young athletes find their footing on the court.
Inspired by the Coaches Who Came Before Him
Haytham’s decision to become a coach came naturally. The coaches who guided him throughout his time with TMYL made a lasting impression, showing him how much of an impact a mentor can have on a young person’s experience. As he grew older, he wanted to share that same encouragement with others.
His favorite part of coaching is watching kids who initially have little interest in tennis begin to enjoy the sport. Seeing that change happen reminds him that coaching isn’t just about teaching forehands, backhands, or how to keep score. It’s about creating an environment where young people feel comfortable trying something new, building confidence, and discovering what they enjoy.
Every player comes to the court with different interests and abilities. Helping them find a reason to keep playing is part of what makes coaching rewarding for Haytham.
More Than a Game
Tennis may be at the center of Haytham’s experience with TMYL, but the program offers opportunities that extend beyond learning a sport.
For him, TMYL is a place where kids can have fun, learn new things, and build connections with others. The court becomes a shared space where participants can develop skills while forming friendships and exploring interests they might not have discovered otherwise. That sense of community is an important part of what makes youth programs meaningful. Learning a new skill can be intimidating, especially at first. Having supportive coaches and peers helps young people feel welcome and gives them room to grow at their own pace.
Haytham understands the value of that support because he experienced it himself. Now, as a coach, he has the opportunity to help create that same positive experience for others.
Finding Balance On and Off the Court
Although coaching takes up an important part of Haytham’s life, he makes time for the activities he enjoys outside the program, too. A self-described big basketball fan, he also likes hanging out with friends and playing video games. Those interests reflect the balance that matters for young people as they navigate school, sports, friendships, and everything else that fills their schedules.
His experience also serves as a reminder that young coaches are still learning and growing themselves. They bring their own interests, personalities, and experiences to the court, helping them connect with participants in genuine ways.
Growing Through TMYL
After more than a decade with TMYL, Haytham has experienced the program from the perspective of a participant and now a coach. That journey gives him a unique understanding of how the right environment can turn an introduction to tennis into a lasting passion. His story reflects the heart of Teaching and Mentoring Young Leaders: providing opportunities for young people to learn, build relationships, and discover their potential.
For Haytham, the reward is seeing that same process unfold in the kids he coaches. When a young player who once resisted tennis begins looking forward to practice, the impact becomes clear.
Sometimes, all it takes is an introduction, a supportive coach, and a place to belong to spark something that lasts for years.