The Bush Tennis Center: People First

The Bush Tennis Center is not just about the sport of tennis, but what the sport can do for people. The staff at The Center help people develop the character to face challenges throughout their lives.

Through programs such as Jump Start, Family Programs, Special Populations, Team Tennis, Community Based and Educational Organizations, people can achieve the character traits of tennis learned at the Bush Tennis Center.

Character Traits Taught by Bush Tennis Center

Inclusiveness
We want the tennis center to be welcoming to all. We choose to welcome community based organizations, outreach programs, private schools, academies, church schools and special populations programs. Everyone plays!

Family
We want families to feel welcomed and be involved. The more families are involved the more they become part of the tennis center as volunteers, committee members and board members of Midland Tennis Center Inc. They also become more involved with their own children through the sport of Tennis.

Honesty
During tennis matches the student/player makes line calls, keeps score and game counts. Under pressure of competition, the true character of oneself as well as ones opponent becomes apparent. The personal integrity developed during tennis matches begins molding the calls one makes in life. Tennis reaches the value of making the right call – even when the game is on the line.

Sportsmanship
One of the most valued awards to receive at tennis events is the award for sportsmanship. Tennis teaches how to treat oneself with respect. Tennis also teaches how one should treat opponents, teammates, peers, coaches and parents with respect.

Teamwork
Teamwork is one of life's most valuable lessons. A coach, like an orchestra conductor, must teach team over talent. Every player is important, every player has something to offer and every player is part of a team that performs above individual talent.

Self-Discipline
Our primary goal is to fuel self-discipline on the tennis court and teach players to avoid behaviors that could destroy one's personal values.

Education
We choose to work with schools: public, private and home-taught, to develop attitudes of "work hard" and "play hard." Educational groups and the staff at the Bush Tennis Center will work together through tutoring to help open doors for students.

Leadership
Certain characteristics are present in a leader. We will lead by example to teach those characteristics.

Trust
People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Team members learn they can trust the things said and done by one another: all learn a most valuable life-lesson.

Respect
People want to know that they are important in life. The Bush Tennis Center will be a venue where everyone can discover purpose and responsibility. We will teach respect.

Choices
Tennis teaches people to think before acting. Tennis players tend to be excellent students who make good choices in life.

Consequences
Tennis players are given the unique opportunity to learn that consequences are results of choices they make and sometimes made by others.