AAPI Heritage Month Spotlight: Ryan Redondo

To celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, Youth Tennis San Diego CEO Ryan Redondo shares insights on how his multi-generational tennis family built a powerful legacy that champions the sport within the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and beyond.

My name is Ryan Redondo and I am the CEO of Youth Tennis San Diego, the owner and operator of the Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego California. I'm also the CEO of Taktika Padel and the San Diego Stingrays. I was the director of tennis and head men's tennis coach at the University of the Pacific, an assistant men's tennis coach at San Diego State University, general manager of the Rancho Santa Fe Tennis Club, and coach to several players on the tour and in college and juniors.

As a member of a multi-generational Filipino-American tennis family we've had many great successes on the court. My aunt Marita Redondo was a top 10 player in the world. My uncle Walter Redondo was number one in the world in the juniors. My father was the head coach at San Diego State University. I got to have the honor to play on the US national team but what I would say my greatest achievement and for my family as well have been the community outreach that we've been able to accomplish. Tennis is just the platform. While we've had many successes and trophies, it's being able to gather people and to be able to bring positivity and wellness through the sport of tennis as really our greatest accomplishments.

My greatest achievement is really right where I'm sitting right now as the CEO of Youth Tennis San Diego. I'm able to bring tennis to thousands of kids, many of them from underserved communities. I have family members that are working in clubs. I have family members that are leading sections throughout the USTA and again it comes back to we're helping gather people to live a better life and to learn to hit the tennis ball a little bit better.

There are countless board members, presidents, leaders that are helping shape the AAPI demographic of leadership. There are many great examples of leaders that we have in the industry we need to continue to shine a light on those individuals so that those behind us can see that they too can become leaders in the industry as well.

Another tool to ensuring that we help grow the game through the AAPI community is mentorship. For example as a tournament director, anything that I do I need to ensure that I'm really hands-on with the community and helping people learn the tools and the necessary education to what it is that is going to help get them to that next level in their careers, and also just being able to aspire to being able to want to be in those positions. Mentorship and service is the greatest tool to ensure that we can continue to grow the community.