Northern California

Q&A with Jorge Salinas

October 14, 2022


Jorge Salinas with his family

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we are highlighting members of our community and sharing their unique perspectives on the importance of recognizing Hispanic Heritage Month, diversity in tennis, and a reflection on their personal tennis stories.

 

Meet Jorge Salinas, a league player and captain who got hooked on tennis after losing a friendly bet to his friend. He shares his thoughts and experiences of not only playing tennis and what the sport means to him but also how he got his whole family interested in the sport and why diversity in tennis is important.

 

Q: Can you share how you got started playing tennis and how long you have been playing?

A: I started playing tennis in 2005 because of a bet I made with my friend Marc after I said that tennis was a slow game! Marc and I bet that whoever lost had to buy lunch and the loser had to always be available when the winner wanted to play again. Marc was beating me for almost three months until one day I got tired of buying lunch. I decided to join a tennis clinic, and then I started to get private lessons. Soon after, I was able to improve to the level that I was beating Marc easily and from there I got hooked on the sport. I enjoy the challenge and competition tennis brings, and I then started playing in USTA leagues. I used to play a lot, but now I sporadically join a team because I helped get my family interested in the sport and I give the priority of playing to my wife and kids.

 

Q: How did tennis turn into a family sport and what do you like about sharing tennis with your family?

A: I remember I used to sneak off to the tennis courts after work to hit against the wall and practice serves after I got into tennis. After a couple of years of doing that I decided to convince my wife Flor to play tennis so I could have someone to hit with. At first, Flor didn't want to and wasn't interested in tennis, but little by little my persistence paid off and she started to play. I was able to help her find fun in the sport and now she has been playing and enjoying USTA leagues since 2014. Since then, we have played Mixed 7.0 and 8.0 whenever we get a chance, and twice our team made it to Sectionals.

 

My kids have also started to play in 10 and under USTA junior tournaments and they seem to like it and have fun so far.

 

Now, we all try to play tennis whenever we get a chance and we have been enjoying playing doubles with our boys. I love the fact that I am passing on something that I love, can share, play, and enjoy with my wife and kids.  

 

Q: How long have you been a league captain? What is your drive for being a captain and passing on your love of tennis to others?

A: I captained my first Mixed Adult League team in 2018, and now I captain teams because I wanted to make it easy for my Flor to enjoy and play tennis near our home. Currently, I am the captain of her Adult 18 & Over women’s 4.0 team that is representing NorCal at Nationals this year. 

 

Q: Are there any tennis accomplishments that you are particularly proud of?

A: I am very proud of my wife Flor and how she has improved her tennis game. I enjoy watching her practice and socialize with her teammates and it makes my day to see her smile and have fun. I am also very excited about my kids Matthieu and Nathan’s recent interest in playing tennis again after losing it after the pandemic. Now Matthieu and Nathan are very motivated to go to the tennis courts again to train and practice. 

 

Q: What do you think is the biggest lesson tennis has brought to your life?  

A: I think back to the days when I was playing a lot more, and I believe that tennis helped me find my inner strength, tenacity, and discipline to work hard and improve my game. Tennis also helped me master and control my emotions. I learned that in the end, it all comes down to how hard you are willing to work to better yourself and win matches.

 

Q: Why do you think it is important to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?

A: I think it is important to recognize and celebrate American citizens whose ancestors came from any Latin or Hispanic countries. Hispanic Heritage Month allows us to celebrate their efforts, sacrifices, achievements, and contributions to this great nation, story, and culture. 

 

Q: In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, why do you think it’s important to have diverse representation within the tennis community?

A: I believe having a diverse representation in the tennis community will show future generations that people of different races and backgrounds can work together to achieve the same goal. My women’s team is going to Nationals this year, and we have great diversity in our team.

 

Q: Can you describe your experience in tennis as a Latino individual?

A: I am very proud to watch my wife play and enjoy tennis and get excited when she is recognized by how well she plays and not by her nationality or her ethnicity. I hope the same will happen with Matthieu and Nathan now that they have started their tennis journeys.

 

Q: In what ways do you celebrate your culture and heritage during Hispanic Heritage Month and/or year-round?

A: Flor is from El Salvador and I am from Peru, so our traditions are a little different. There are some traditions that we try to keep in the family but as time goes by and my boys are growing up our traditions and culture change. In general, my family enjoys eating pupusas, pollo a la brasa, helado de lucuma and panes con pollo. Flor and I also enjoy eating jalea mixta and arroz con mariscos.

 

Q: In your opinion, how can we better bring together people of different identities and cultures through tennis?

A: The world has become increasingly interconnected and advances in technology have led to the information age in which ideas, information, and images can be shared or transmitted with a keystroke. Transportation has also improved, and it now allows people to easily travel great distances. These advances mean that we can easily share our values and that we are more likely to be exposed to others with different backgrounds. I love that USTA’s junior tennis tournaments and Junior Team Tennis both bring children of different races and backgrounds together.

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