While following an older brother Keyon to the basketball courts next to the tennis center, Ahsha hoping to dribble a few balls found that no courts were available for her that day. Sitting on the bleachers bored, Keyon suggested she go and play on the tennis courts next to the basketball courts. Well that’s how the journey began. At age nine Ahsha had to learn how to cross the street and there was constant asking for the check for her lessons. Keyon was informed by Ben and Bryan that Ahsha was a good player and faster than all the boys, something she would always tell us when asked how were your lessons. Finally, we all realized she had quickly out grown the center and needed a place that offered more competition.

We were told to go to Moore Park because they had an established junior tennis program. We found kids of all ages who were really good tennis players. The kind of kids who are at the park as soon as it opens and they stay until it closes. Most of the kids were older and had “game”. Of course, this benefited the younger kids. While at the park that year, the Greater Miami Tennis Foundation received a grant from the USTA. It was one of the first LET grants given to grass root centers. It was a program of excellence. Bobby Curtis “Mr. Florida Tennis” got all of the kids USTA memberships. He could remember all the numbers because they were all the same except for one number. Ahsha trained, learned and spent all of her time at Moore Park. We would take all the kids to tournaments and spend the weekend watching and pushing them to succeed. Most times our kids made up half the draws. Ahsha started competing and ended the year ranked 164 in the 12 and under in Florida at age 10. The next year Ahsha’s coach changed her backhand from a beautiful two hands to a one hand. The reason given---Pete had a one-hand backhand. The good news is by the time of the state close, she was ranked number 4, and had beaten the number 1 player in the State championship. We knew the summer was filled with lots of hard work.

That summer Lawrence Gunn a promising young man from the Park had beaten several top national players and was ranked number 1 in the state of Florida. Richard Williams took a look and invited us to his home for Lawrence to play Venus. Lawrence and Venus has a great match she was exciting to watch. Mr. Williams encouraged Ahsha that she could be great like his daughters. We returned home with a new focus and enhanced vigor. We started

She was focusing on her education and finishing her home-schooled lessons on time. Every major college tennis program in the country was recruiting her. The first letter was from Harvard. She finally decided to go the George Tech with Bryan and Mariaan. We felt they had a lot to offer. They both were successful on the pro tour. Once the admission committee looked at the math scores they felt they were not high enough for a school of technology.

Ahsha was shattered, how could they not accept her, and she had told Florida no, only a few days earlier. So when plan A does not work, you go to plan B.

She put all her energy into becoming a great professional tennis player. We moved to Georgia to be coached by Wong Farrow. Now Ahsha is eighteen and can commit to a full schedule. She played all the $10,000 events and the $25,000 she could get into. Alana Broderick a tennis player and Ahsha’s double partner won their first title in Waco. Alana’s mother was from Australia and they decided to spend several months trying to get a better ranking by playing the Australian tournaments. Ahsha traveled and played the tournaments in Australian. She finally qualified at the last tournament and beat several players ranked in the 200’s.

On her return to the states and Georgia it was cold and rainy. We decided to move back to Miami. In 2004, we needed a coach and someone to take Ahsha to Mexico. Kennis Collins was available. She did well in Mexico and got to the quarters of several tournaments. Her ranking continued to improve. After Mexico for six weeks, finances were tight and Ahsha and Tiya had to go on their own without a coach. They became coach, cheerleader and budgeter. Fortunately, while booked at the Marriot in Albuquerque, New Mexico they met Paula and Mark. They were observing high holy days but offered their home. This was great!!!—free housing.

Over the next two years and even now, housing has made a big difference in Ahsha’s ability to succeed. There are about fifteen families which have extended their hospitality to her. One family-- the Long’s has become an extended family, and she added a new “Grandma”, Vicki and Kathy in New Mexico. Our extended tennis family has been the other half of success. Success can be defined as one half of hard work and the other half all the people who help you get there.

At the end of 2005 the USTA stepped in and provided coaching. Lori McNeil provided guidance and encouragement that helped Ahsha continue to move in the right direction. Her ranking moved more than 200 points in the right direction. By the end of 2006 she was in the top 200, and working hard to move to the top 100.

In February of 2005 in Tampa, Ahsha stayed with her Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Dewayne, she drove back and forth to the $10,000 pro circuit event in Clearwater. At the end of the week she was in the finals and won her first singles championship. All of the family was there to celebrate. This success continued on a national level. We were not able to travel internationally to move as quickly in the ranking, but Ahsha stayed in the states and played. In the Fall of 2006, Ahsha won a $75,000 tournament with her extended family in Albuquerque. She got to the semi-finals in the $50,00 event the next week in Kentucky and the finals the next week in Troy, Alabama at another $50,000 event.

After this success she was placed on the High Performance team at the USTA with Ola Malmqvist as her coach. In 2007, Ahsha qualified for the Australian Open. In March she received a wild card into Indian Wells and got to the third round and retired against Nicole Vadisova after suffering a stomach virus and could not continue. Ahsha was one out of the main draw in Wimbledon and made it to the last round of qualifying.

In July, Ahsha took some well-deserved rest and trained for the US Open series. She selected to play a local ITF tournament in the Bronx and got to the finals the week before the OPEN. Then the first night of the US Open she wins against 17 seed , Taitiana Golovin. It was a great match and another milestone for Ahsha along the journey. She continued to the third round of the 2007 US Open.

Ahsha is talented and has a great variety of shots that pulls the audience into her game. Chips, charges, slices, volleys, and a 113 MPH serve out wide give everyone something to “wow” about. She has an all court game. Ahsha has a great personality and loves music and dance. She works hard and after every match you must tell a ‘shot maker” – “What was your favorite shot”?

• Top 50 player on the WTA tour by the end of 2007

• Top 10 player on the WTA tour by the end of 2008

• Secure sponsorship during 2007

• Work with Destined to Serve Foundation – Founder of a charitable organization with goals helping disadvantage kids participate in a positive goal achievement environment focusing on family, school and community. The organization will promote physical and mental development in children with a spirit of excellence

2007 HIGHLIGHTS

*Qualified for the Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia

*Received a wild card into Pacific Life, Indian Wells, CA, and got to the third round of a Tier 1 Tournament

*One out of the Main Draw of Wimbledon, and got to the last round of qualifying

*Finalist at the $50,000 event in the Bronx, New York

*Received a wild card into the US OPEN and got to the third round.

2006 HIGHLIGHTS

*Won a main draw wild card into Gold Coast, Australia for winning a $50,000 event in Troy, AL

*Won a qualifying round in the Australian Open, Melbourne, Australia

*Won a qualifying round in Indian Wells, Palm Springs, California

*Won a Doubles $25,000 event in Redding, California with Bardina(RUS)

*Reached the Doubles Finals in a $50,000 event in Minneapolis with Schkelbir (USA)

*Won a qualifying round in the French Open, Paris, France

*Reached the semifinals in a $25,000 event in Subriton, England

*Reached doubles semifinals with Osterloff(USA)

*Qualified in a WTA grass event in Birmingham, England, qualified and won first round in the main draw. Then played a hard fought match with world’s # 4 Maria Sharapova (Lost 6-4, 6-2)

*Qualified for Wimbledon Doubles with Osterloff

*Played World Team Tennis for the Houston Wranglers

*Won $75,000 event in Albuquerque, New Mexico

*Reached the semi-finals in $50,000 event in Ashland, Kentucky*Reached the finals in $50,000 event in Troy, Alabama

2005 HIGHLIGHTS

*Circuit Player of the Week

Qualified and reached the finals of the $25,000 event in Jackson, Miss

Also, reached the doubles finals with Sequera(VEN)

*Advanced to the doubles, quarterfinals with Rampre (SLO) at the $25,000 event in Tunica Resorts, Miss

*Reached the semifinals in a $25,000 event in Allentown in both singles and doubles (Peterson, USA)

*Reached the semifinals in Los Gatos, Ca at $50,000 event

2005 HIGHLIGHTS (cont'd)

*Won my first singles titile of her career at the $10,000 event in Clearwater, Fl

*Reached the semifinals in a $25,000 event in Allentown in both singles and doubles (Peterson, USA)

*Reached the semifinals in Los Gatos, Ca at $50,000 event

*Reached the quarterfinals in Lexington, KY at $50,000 event

*Won my first singles titile of her career at the $10,000 event in Clearwater, Fl

*Reached the doubles semifinals with Fernandez(ARG) at the $10,000 event in Miami

*Won my second pro singles title of my career at the $50,000 in Troy, AL

2004 HIGHLIGHTS

*Qualified at the $10,000 Boca Raton event in Fl

*Played in Mexico throughout the spring before coming back to the US in the Summer

Reached the quarterfinals of the $25,000 event in Poza Rica, Mexico after qualifying for the event

*Reached the quarterfinals of the $10,000 events in El Paso and Baltimore. Finished as runner-up in doubles in El Paso with Tiya Rolle

*Qualified for the $75,000 event in Albuquerque and $50,000 event in Ashburn, VA

Also, reached the doubles semifinals at the $50,000 event in Los Gatos with Haynes(USA)

*Doubles semifinalist at the $25,00 event in Mexico with Kojian(US

2003 HIGHLIGHTS

*Was a quarterfinalist at the $10,000 event in Harrisonburg, VA

*Qualified into the $10,000 events in Evansville, IND, and Edmond, OK

*Won the first pro title in career in doubles with Broderick (USA) at the $10,000 event in Waco, TX

*Reached the doubles semifinals with Broderic (SA) at the $10,00 event in Dallas

*As a doubles qualifier, reached the semifinals at the $10,000 event in El Paso with Goldthreate(USA)

2002 HIGHLIGHTS

*Qualified into the $10,000 events in Winter Park, FL and Raleigh, NC

And went on to reach the second round

*Advanced in the doubles semifinals Etienne(Haiti) at the $10,000 event in Dallas

*Reached her first semifinals at the $10,000 event in El Paso, Texas

2001 HIGHLIGHTS

*Qualified into the $10,000 event in Hilton Head, S.C. and reached the second round.