Filippos Zachiotis, head tennis professional at Bentwood Country Club in San Angelo, Texas, doesn’t treat tennis as just a sport. He sees it as one of the more effective tools available for developing young people, on and off the court. A former top junior player in Europe with a standout NCAA career behind him, Zachiotis is now the youngest RSPA Elite Professional (Level 3) in Texas and the third youngest in the country.
“I truly believe tennis is one of the greatest tools for developing young people,” he says. “Every practice, every match, and every challenge on the court teaches lessons that extend far beyond tennis—discipline, resilience, patience, accountability, and emotional control.”
Much of that, he says, comes from how independent the sport is. In Tennis Players have to make their own decisions, deal with pressure,and find solutions, without any support during the match. Zachiotis believes that being exposed to these situations can build confidence and problem-solving skills that cross over into school, future careers, and life. It is with this belief that he guides his students at Bentwood.
“Our mission is not only to develop talented tennis players, but to help develop confident, respectful, and resilient individuals,” he explains. “The score on a junior match is irrelevant in the future, but the values tennis teaches will stay with a person forever.”
For Zachiotis, coaching starts with understanding the player before working on anything else. A tennis program should be a place where they build friendships, learn life lessons, and become part of a community.” Competition, in his view, is important regardless of whether a player has any interest in going pro. “I believe competition is one of the greatest teachers in life,” Zachiotis says. “Life brings challenges. Students compete for opportunities, professionals compete in their careers, and everyone experiences moments where they have to perform under pressure. Tennis provides a safe environment where children can experience those situations and learn how to respond. Winning is good, but developing the right habits, attitude, and character is even more important.”Not every kid arrives chasing a trophy. Most start out drawn to the fun of the game and only later develop an interest in competing as their confidence builds. Zachiotis says the priority is keeping that shift rooted in enjoyment rather than pressure. Trophies are only a by-product of discipline and patience.
At Bentwood they push players to focus on what they can control: being prepared, putting effort, and how they respond to setbacks. Filippos’ larger goal has little to do with rankings. Whether a player goes on to college tennis, turns pro, or never picks up a racket again after high school, Zachiotis wants them to leave the program believing they can handle hard things. “If years from now my players remember that tennis helped them become better people, stronger leaders, and more confident individuals, then that will be my greatest achievement as a coach,” he says. “Championships and rankings are temporary, but helping guide a child to become a great person is the real title.”
Zachiotis’ approach is deeply rooted in the values of discipline, patience and consistency. And any great person, in tennis or outside of it, shares these core beliefs. The goal for the team at Bentwood tennis is to create a safe space for kids to develop these characteristics while having fun.
