PRESS RELEASE: ICF BRINGS ON FORMER WORLD RANKED PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS AND COACHES TO CO-DIRECT THE ACADEMY AND ITS ELITE TEAM BRYAN TRAINING AND TRAVEL TEAM

PRESS RELEASE:

INSPIRING CHILDREN FOUNDATION (ICF) AND THEIR TEAM BRYAN PROGRAM SOLIDIFY THEIR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NO QUIT TENNIS ACADEMY BY TAKING A MORE ACTIVE ROLE

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NO QUIT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TIM BLENKIRON AND ICF LEADERSHIP WILL CO-LEAD THE PROGRAM WITH TWO NEW DIRECTORS

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ICF BRINGS ON FORMER WORLD RANKED PROFESSIONAL PLAYERS AND COACHES TO CO-DIRECT THE ACADEMY AND ITS ELITE TEAM BRYAN TRAINING AND TRAVEL TEAM; TOP 15 PLAYER & WINNINGEST ATP COACH DAVE MACPHERSON, AND FORMER DAVIS CUP & TOP 80 WORLD RANKED PLAYER JAMES MCGEE, WILL CO-DIRECT THE NEW AND IMPROVED PROGRAM

LAS VEGAS, NV, DEC 29, 2022:

The Inspiring Children Foundation and its elite TEAM BRYAN Tennis, Mentoring & Education program is designed to equal the playing field for those in need by providing a diverse, rigorous, and inspirational pathway to a college scholarship at top universities. For over two decades the Foundation has partnered with the NO QUIT Tennis Academy to perform the Foundation’s high performance tennis training. The Foundation is now announcing a new, more active role in this partnership with the NO QUIT Tennis Academy, which will embody more of the Foundation’s staff, leadership programming and college prep expertise.

ICF and NO QUIT Academy almuna, Kimberly Yee. Former USTA #1 ranked player in 12&Under, 14&Under, 16&Under, and 18&Under tennis divisions

Full-ride academic and athletic scholarship to Stanford University

ICF and NO QUIT alumna Sam Martinelli. Former USTA #1 nationally ranked junior. Full-ride academic and athletic scholarship to Ivy League's Yale University

ICF and NO QUIT Academy alumna, Nicole Kalhorn. Full-ride academic and athletic scholarship to Ivy League's Princeton University

Bryan Bros with Team Bryan youth and Inspiring Children Foundation staff and volunteers at the BNP Paribas Open

Beginning January 1, 2023, The Inspiring Children Foundation will bring on two former highly ranked professional tennis players and highly credentialed coaches from the ATP Tour to Co-Direct the TEAM BRYAN program, in partnership with the NO QUIT Tennis Academy. The Foundation will also be engaging its existing staff to help systemize and strengthen the support systems for players, parents and coaches.

Former ATP players and coaches Dave Macpherson and James McGee will be hired to take the TEAM BRYAN & NO QUIT partnership to the next level, by providing the highest level of coaching available.

Macpherson coached the Bryan Brothers and John Isner to win numerous titles, slams, and finals. In 2018, Macpherson coached both John Isner and the Bryan Brothers to win the Miami Open, where John and the Bryans won both the singles and doubles titles respectively.

Macpherson coached all-time greats Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka to win the 2014 Davis Cup for Switzerland, the first ever Davis Cup title for the Swiss

As part of the partnership, TEAM BRYAN youth will have access to lessons and training from the Bryan Brothers' former coach Dave Macpherson on a daily basis. Dave also coached ATP legend John Isner and was previously a very successful professional tennis player reaching a career high #11 in the world. Acting as Co-Director of the storied TEAM BRYAN program, is former ATP & Davis Cup player James McGee, who had a career high ranking of #86 in the world. McGee will lead integrating the Inspiring Children Foundation’s best in class Leadership Program with the NO QUIT Tennis program, in hopes of making “professionals at tennis and life.”

ICF and NO QUIT Academy alumnus, Alejandro Quiles, former #2 in the country, now on a full-ride academic and athletic scholarship to the Icy League's Dartmouth College

Existing head pro, Jake Lysgaard, will be promoted to Program Manager where he will lead the administration and daily operations of all high performance and developmental programs. Existing pro, James Johnson, will be promoted to be Director of Community Tennis. Long time pro, Claudia Scariot, will be promoted to Manager of “Little Bryan’s” program for youth ages 3-10 years old. Ricky Sypert, a former youth in the program, was recently hired to be ICF Program Manager.

ICF and NO QUIT Academy alumna, Naomi Cheong, full-ride academic and athletic scholarship to USC, former top 480 ranked WTA player in the world as a junior

NO QUIT Academy Co-Founder Tim Blenkiron will be working with ICF leadership to lead, augment and implement his proven system in partnership with Dave Macpherson and James McGee and the other ten coaches on staff. Blenkiron’s system has been developed over thirty years as a professional player, NCAA Champion and master coach who has helped develop and work with 12 players who became #1 and over 50 players who reached Top 20 in the USTA National Rankings. Blenkiron also brings his experience as a touring pro with Asia Muhammad and Eugenie Bouchard back to the inner city program at Lorenzi Park.

ICF and NO QUIT Academy almuna, Asia Muhammad, shown as a child with Coach Tim, father Ron, and Co-founder Ryan

ICF and NO QUIT Academy alumna, Asia Muhammad, WTA top 30 in the world, competing at the US OPEN

The NO QUIT Tennis Academy and the TEAM BRYAN Travel Team share a joint vision: To create the best youth development program in the world, by inspiring physical, social, emotional and mental well-being through mentoring, tennis, education and the arts.

“In our commitment to create the best program possible we are grateful to have attracted some of the best coaches in the history of the game,” said ICF Executive Director, Trent Alenik.“Dave Macpherson has won more titles than any touring coach in history, not to mention his incredible accomplishments as a player. And I know firsthand the character of James McGee, who is a living example of the kind of work ethic and principled approach we hope to inspire in our youth. Coupled with the extraordinary coaches at NO QUIT we truly have an A-Team ready to do extraordinary things.”

ICF & NO QUIT alumnus Kris Yee, former #2 in the nation, full-ride academic and athletic scholarship to Vanderbilt University

Program alumni from left to right:

Sarra Yetka - Vassar & Columbia University

Kimberly Yee - Stanford

McKay Novak - UPenn / Wharton

Aphrah Brokaw - Villanova

All players received full-ride scholarships

ABOUT DAVE MACPHERSON

David Macpherson is from Launceston, Tasmania in Australia and spent 18 years on the ATP World Tour before officially retiring in 2003. During his time as a professional player, Dave reached a career high of #11 in the world in the ATP Doubles rankings, reaching the Semifinals of the Australian Open, the Quarterfinals of Wimbledon and the US OPEN, and reaching the 3rd Round of the French Open. Throughout his impressive career, Dave amassed 16 ATP doubles titles, including championships at Masters 1000 events.

Following Dave’s retirement from playing professional tennis, he went on to become one of the most decorated coaches in the world. Under Dave’s coaching and guidance, the Bryan Brothers went on to win 15 Grand Slams, 100 ATP Doubles Titles, Davis Cup Titles, and Olympic Gold Medals. Until just recently, Dave worked with American tennis icon John Isner, who has a career high ranking of #8 in the ATP Singles rankings and a career high ranking of #14 in the ATP Doubles rankings. While working with Dave, John Isner went on to win multiple ATP Masters 1000 Titles, make the Semifinals of Wimbledon, and become the #1 ranked male American tennis player at the time. A few years ago Macpherson coached both Isner and the Bryan Brothers to win the singles and doubles title at the Miami Open Masters Series tournament. Macpherson also spent some time as a college coach.

ABOUT JAMES MCGEE

John James McGee is from Dublin, Ireland and spent over 10 years competing as a professional tennis player on the ITF Futures, ATP Challenger and ATP World Tour. Prior to turning pro, James played college tennis at N.C. State University and helped the Wolfpack to their first ever NCAA Elite 8 appearance. Throughout his professional tennis career, James competed in 14 Grand Slams and qualified into the U.S. Open in 2014. He broke into the world’s top 150 in 2015 and reached #86 in the world for the ATP Race To London Rankings. James played Davis Cup for Ireland for 9 years. He has competed at ATP 250, ATP 500 and Masters 1000 Level and was ranked the number 1 tennis player in Ireland for 6 years.

James’ roommate in college in 2006 was Frideric Prandecki, the very first child to come through the Inspiring Children Foundation program. It was then that McGee first learned of the Foundation’s work, especially around emotional and mental health training, which peaked his interest. He was so inspired by the Foundation and its mission that he moved to Las Vegas after his professional tennis career ended in 2018 to take a lessor salary to make a bigger impact. James is now the Director of the TEAM BRYAN program at Inspiring Children Foundation and will become the Co-Director of the expanded program with the NO QUIT Tennis Academy. James has a huge passion for human development, emotional and mental health training, and through his work at the Foundation, hopes to have a positive and meaningful impact on the space.

ABOUT ICF

For 21 years, The Inspiring Children Foundation (ICF) has been transforming the lives of youth by taking a whole human approach to physical, social, emotional and mental health.

We lift up youth from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds by providing a student-led, principle-based, and restorative mental strength & wellness program. We inspire youth to rise above the adversity in life through mentoring, tennis, entrepreneurship, leadership development, and project-driven learning. We reach millions online, and 150 in our best-in-class leadership program.

For more information go to www.InspiringChildren.Org

or @InspiringChildren on Instagram or Facebook.