One man is demonstrating how to do the drill. The other is watching silently, learning how to improve the childrens’ tennis game. One man is feeding tennis balls to the kids on the other side of the net. The other is giving tips during the drill. Both men are giving encouragement. Both are trying to share their knowledge with the kids. Both are pushing the kids to not only be the best tennis players they can be but to be the best people they can be. Both are trying to give back and  share their passion for tennis with others.

The first man is Brad Cinalli, one of the tennis coaches at FWCD. He came to FWCD three years ago, but there was so much more that happened in his life before. First, his passion for tennis sparked when he was living in Puerto Rico and was attending school there in the fourth grade. 

He moved back to the United States in the sixth grade, where his passion for tennis only grew more. He continued to play tennis in high school, where in the finals, he won his match to clinch the championship for his high school. After that match, there was a herd of people, a feeling of ecstasy, and so many other emotions that cannot be described.

Next in his life was a world filled with tennis at Tulane University. There was sweat, long grueling practices, but most of all, there was a family-like bond between teammates that still lives on today.

Finally, for Cinalli, there are the kids. He has a daughter in the second grade at FWCD, but he also works with many tennis players, ranging from about the first grade to the twelfth grade, and for all of them, he is trying to make a positive impact on their lives.

The other man is Sil Avezedo, another one of the tennis coaches at FWCD. For him, his passion for tennis started when he was 11 years old in Brazil. His parents joined a country club, and when he saw the courts, he decided to give tennis a go.

He continued playing tennis and continued to get better and better. He joined a club and got a sponsorship in Brazil. During this time, he was an exchange student in the United States. Portland offered him a scholarship, but he decided to continue to play for the club in Brazil.

After playing for the club for a while, he decided to travel the world. There were a lot of learning opportunities throughout the trip; his eyes were opened to all of the other cultures in the world, and his life was forever changed. After the trip, he came to FWCD and started to teach and coach tennis.

He teaches a photography class, but he started coaching tennis three years ago at FWCD, the same time he started teaching photography. Azevedo coaches tennis in the spring, but he also does extra practices on Mondays in the fall, trying to help the students as much as possible.

That brings everything back to the tennis courts. Both Cinalli and Azevedo are continuously helping and preparing so many people, not only in tennis, but in so many other ways. They are both amazing, intelligent, and kind people who are always there to lend a helping hand, and they are always, always trying to give back to the community.