Success Stories

Denise Campbell

Denise Campbell’s journey with Let’s Teach began as a young athlete taking classes with Coach Scott Harris. Through Let’s Teach, Denise was introduced to opportunities that deepened her game, including traveling around SoCal for tournaments and coaching, and participating in advanced group and private lessons. At 15, she stepped into a junior coaching role at Let’s Teach’s Reid Park and continued teaching all four years of high school. As a coach, Denise found herself developing alongside the kids she mentored. “They helped me in ways they didn’t even know,” she says. She learned how to tailor her communication and teaching style to different ages and personalities. She found value in Let’s Teach’s programming in Riverside. “It was something the community really needed,” she says. “You don’t often see programs like this in Riverside—especially for tennis.”

While coaching, Denise was also racking up accolades during her high school tennis career at John W. North High School, including:

  • 4x Team Singles MVP
  • Freshman: All-League, 47–5 record
  • Sophomore: Undefeated in league play
  • Junior: Lost only one league set
  • Senior: Undefeated in league & non-league, CIF 2nd Round, Team Co-Captain
Now a Sophomore at Riverside City College, she continues to dominate, racking up new accomplishments including:
  • Orange Empire Conference Doubles Player of the Year
  • Undefeated in Singles (2025 Season)
Denise credits much of her growth to Coach Scott, whom she describes as “kind of a tennis dad” and “the best coach I’ve ever worked with.” His guidance—especially the phrase “Play the point that’s in front of you”—continues to resonate with her, both on the court and in life.

Tiffany Tran

When Let’s Teach student-athlete Tiffany Tran first picked up a tennis racket, it was almost too heavy to hold with one hand. She relied instead on her two-handed backhand to compete. She developed strength and form at Let’s Teach’s Reid Park program and her backhand became her second most powerful tool. The most powerful? Her mindset.

Tiffany began her tennis journey as a freshman on her high school’s junior varsity team. By sophomore year, she earned a spot on varsity. With guidance from Let’s Teach coaches like Scott and Erin, and a relentless commitment to growth, Tiffany excelled. By junior year, she was dominating at #1 doubles.

“The smaller classes made it easier to focus and improve,” Tiffany said of her time at Let’s Teach’s Reid Park program. “I started getting better and made a lot of friends through the sport.”

By the end of her senior season, Tiffany had won her league’s doubles championship, competed at CIF, and was named CIF Student-Athlete of the Year, an honor recognizing both her academic excellence and her impact on the sport. Her team also named her Varsity MVP. “They made up an award for me!” she shared excitedly.

But for Tiffany, tennis was always about mindset. “Losing taught me how to grow,” she said. “It made me appreciate winning even more.” Now a mentor to younger players, Tiffany is passionate about helping girls build confidence on the court and shake off the fear of making mistakes.

Whether she’s winning championships or managing her high school boys’ team, Tiffany’s dedication is clear. “I’ve made tennis my whole personality,” she laughed. “I dedicate all my waking hours to it.”

That dedication extended to her college applications, where she wrote about the impact of tennis in her personal statements. Her efforts paid off with acceptances to both UC San Diego and UC Irvine’s Honors Program, where she’s now deciding where to take her next steps, both on and off the court.

Emily Malano

Before playing for her school’s varsity team as a freshman, Emily Manalo was a kid playing for fun at her local courts. She began taking lessons at Let’s Teach’s Reid Park program with Coach Erin, where her foundation began to form.

Emily showed up consistently to Reid Park each Monday and Wednesday, and her work paid off. Coach Scott from Let’s Teach recognized her drive and connected her with private and group lessons at iTennis Andulka Park.

She made her high school’s varsity team as a freshman, and by her sophomore year, she was playing singles 2 and qualifying for CIF. As a sophomore this past year, she won her league’s doubles championship!

“It was Reid that helped me get there,” she said. “I was confident in myself, and it was really fun to brag about that.”

Through her success, she kept growing—both as a player and as a person.

“I gained friends I never expected,” she said. “After COVID, I really lost a lot of connections. I used to be so social as a kid. But tennis brought that back—it opened up my whole world. It made me so happy.”

Tennis has had quite the impact on Emily both on and off the court. “Tennis takes your mind off everything,” she explains, “It helps you let off steam. When I play, I stop worrying about the rest of life.”

Her dream for next season? To go undefeated.

And beyond that? College tennis. “I’d like to play in college,” she explains. “With all the work I’ve put in, I’d be happy playing at that level.”

She now volunteers at Reid Park, giving back by feeding balls to younger players, offering encouragement, and showing up for the community where she got her start.

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