L.E.A.D. is an Atlanta-based nonprofit whose mission is to use baseball and tennis to teach Black youth how to overcome three curveballs that threaten their success: crime, poverty and racism. Kelli Stewart, wife of co-founder and former minor league baseball player C.J. Stewart, explains how the organization expanded into supporting tennis. Her daughter, Mackenzi, is a former Southern University and Georgia State player, explained how she decided to pick up a racquet and now leads its girls’ tennis programs. Listen to them describe their dedication to community service and focus on athletics, academics, civic engagement and commerce.

Coach Gregory Green has been a part of eighteen championships as a player and coach, earning him the name “The King of Rings.” In addition to coaching excellence in football with four SIAC Conference rings, he has brought glory to Tuskegee tennis with four SIAC Conference Tennis Championships, five-time SIAC Highest Team GPA for Men and Women and four SIAC Conference Tennis Coach of the Year awards, in addition to many athletic accolades at Savannah State. Listen to Gregory describe how his program grows the academic and cultural opportunities for Tuskegee’s athletes and strengthens the HBCU programs in the South.

In the second of a two-part series with John Embree, he recounts his pivotal role at Wilson, where he managed contracts for tennis legends including Pete Sampras, Chrissy Evert, Jim Courier, and others, and introduced the successful Wilson U.S. Open tennis ball. He discusses his leadership in developing innovative rackets like the Hammer and Pro Staff. After 17 years at Wilson, John transitioned to the USPTA as CEO, leveraging his for-profit experience to strengthen the organization. He shares his concerns about the aging tennis professional population and emphasizes the importance of adaptability for those entering the industry. Listen in as he reflects on the impact he’s made and the work still to be done in the tennis world.