'I'm setting opportunities for women to find themselves.': Tennis instructor uses sport to empower players

It got better with the passing months. Then, she moved to the Midwest, where she finished school at Northern Illinois University (NIU); the best years of her life were packed with tennis, travel and a lot of studying.

They—Andrade and her now husband, who also played tennis at TCU and NIU—settled nearby. "Suddenly we have a house and we have a baby... The goal was at some point to move back to Mexico after my master's." Andrade said life moved quickly; she got a promotion, had her second child, and they decided to put down roots.

As a mom, Andrade wanted a career that allowed her to be present for her children, that gave her flexibility to be a mother, earn an income and help others. Andrade says the quest brought her back to tennis.

She started working at Five Star Tennis Center, where she runs a beginner adult program and coordinates competitive travel teams.

Many of her beginners progress to tournaments, and a lot of them have introduced their kids to the sport because of how much they're enjoying it.

The players give all sorts of reasons for sticking with it: it's exercise, a way to make friends, self-care. The women, especially, express appreciation, says Andrade; the tennis coach knows her lessons mean much more than achieving a smooth drop shot. Sometimes, it's the best part of a player's day.

"I'm setting opportunities for women to find themselves. 'You're just a mom.' 'No. I'm not just a mom.' 'You just work in an office.' 'No.' Women have all of these labels," acknowledges Andrade. "Suddenly, they have tennis, and that's just for themselves. They're not doing it for their kids. They're not there because of their husband or their boss. No."

Having spent her whole life around the sport, Ivonne Andrade shares why she believes in it so much.

"Tennis teaches you about life," Andrade says, "to be independent and solve problems on your own. I remember at 18 years old just being completely alone in a different country and having to figure out how to open a bank account."