Coaching About Joy of Experiences for Hernandez

USTA Missouri Valley is celebrating back to school by featuring coaches and teachers who make the game of tennis special for kids. 

Ricardo Hernandez is the head coach for the boys’ and girls’ tennis teams at Bryan High School in Bellevue. He also teaches Spanish at the school. The student population at Bryan is 67% Hispanic, and he knows that diversity is not only important in athletics and academics, but in everyday life. 

“I feel that when you spend a lot of time with people with different backgrounds, you eventually learn how similar we really are and aren't so focused on our differences,” he said. “I like to see everyone come together as a team and become unified with everyone shooting for the same goals.”

Originally from El Paso, Texas, Hernandez has lived in the Omaha area for most of his life.  He’s coached at Bryan for the past 12 years. He enjoys watching his players evolve and improve their skills on the court.

“Sometimes I feel I enjoy their wins more than they do,” he said. “Whether my players win or lose, I enjoy seeing them employ the skills they've learned into their game to help them compete at a high level.”

Many of the tennis racquets the players use are donated, to make it more accessible for people to join the tennis team. They also hold fundraisers to pay for additional expenses.

“We've also been lucky enough to have some former players or friends donate their old racquets to our school for our players to use. During the spring tennis season, we have fundraisers that help pay for indoor tennis fees for when it rains, or snows and the team must practice indoors.” 

Hernandez enjoys watching the players become friends off the court as well. Many of them continue to play after high school and continue their love of the lifetime sport.

“The most important thing we like to promote in having our students play tennis at Omaha Bryan is that it is a lifetime sport that can improve one's confidence and fitness level. Along with helping player's fitness and mental strength, it also helps build friendships and can even bring opportunities to obtain higher education when they get offered scholarships to play tennis.”   

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