The AceAbility foundation was founded in September of this year by Mathis Valenta ’26, along with five other Jesuit Dallas sophomores. I had the chance to interview Valenta about his involvement in the foundation. Through this article, you will learn about the message of the non-profit organization, what they have done so far, and the foundation’s hope for the future.
What is the Ace-Ability Foundation?
The [Ace-Ability Foundation’s] focus is to mentor underprivileged children (ages 6-14) and provide them access to learning tennis, a sport they may otherwise not be financially able to pursue. Through its programs, Ace-Ability Foundation introduces not only the physical and mental skills of tennis, but also vital life skills of communication, perseverance, fairness, and leadership, all of which can help pave a way to success in participants’ future professional lives. As we grow, our hope is to expand this foundation to more than just underprivileged communities throughout Dallas. We hope to expand throughout the south and eventually the nation.
Why was the Organization Started?
Ever since I was seven years old, I’ve been taking tennis lessons from high level coaches. Little did I know at the time, these lessons were extremely expensive and were a big investment for my parents. I grew to understand how fortunate I was to not only be provided with top tier coaching, but the opportunity to play tennis at all. I realized however that many people aren’t in the financial position to afford tennis lessons, let alone afford equipment. So I decided to provide the opportunity of playing tennis to people who may not be able to finance it otherwise. Through AceAbility, I hope to give underprivileged kids the shot at enjoying tennis and having fun. Through the Ace-Ability Foundation, I’m committed to breaking down financial barriers and ensuring that tennis becomes a vehicle for empowerment and positive change for all.
What Has the Foundation Done So Far?
The non-profit has been established for a couple of months now, starting in late September. We have held one camp and are scheduling more sessions for the near future.
During our first camp, I had a unique experience that has motivated me to continue my service journey and that I will remember for the rest of my life. At the first training camp, there was a ten-year-old girl named London. London had never played tennis before and drove nearly 30 minutes to make it to the camp. After talking with her mother, I learned that London had been begging to play tennis for months now, and her mother was waiting for the opportunity to play free of charge, with other beginners.
Throughout the two-hour session, London showed immense improvement, progressing from bouncing the ball up and down on her racquet, to serving the ball across the court. The most impressive part of London’s progression was her ability to memorize the names of different parts of the court.
At the beginning of the session, we covered the names of the lines on the court and the different boxes on each side of the net. Right before ending the camp, I asked London if she remembered any of the terminology we covered previously and she recited over half of the terms back to me with accuracy and confidence. This helped me realize that London’s impressive intelligence and athletic ability may have never been discovered without having the opportunity to play tennis. I was proud to be a part of her improvement and to see her intelligence get put to the test. To finish the camp, I gave her an old racquet of mine and she played on the courts with her mother after the camp ended.
This experience proved the potential influence of this organization and how it can positively impact the greater community, simply through the gift of opportunity.
What are the Foundation’s Plans for the Future?
The foundation plans to hold many more training sessions in the future. Their goal is to see an increase in the number of athletes at every camp to reach a larger number of people in the community. After seeing the impact the camp had on children like London, AceAbility is confident that they can grow to continue serving the community and to provide more bright children with the opportunity to exercise their talents and make an impact on the world around them.
