Freshman Izzy Torres-Mejia joins Earlham tennis team, gives back to Amigos program

"I had never met anyone who played tennis." Isabel, (Izzy) Torres-Mejia remembered. She learned through Amigos.

The Amigos Richmond Latino Center is a source of empowerment for the Latinx community in Richmond, Ind. and Wayne County where members can create cultural connections through education, health and social services. They teach tennis, too!

"The thing that we're so excited about is that Izzy played tennis with Amigos all these years. Her brother did too," explained Patty Lamson, the Tennis and English Program Coordinator for Amigos. "Our students are now getting to the age where they're getting ready for college, and Izzy is one of them."

For 10 years, Amigos has been offering tennis lessons to anyone who wants to learn how to play, Izzy among them. In recent years, a local university, Earlham College invited the Amigos program to practice on the school's courts.

"The Earlham tennis coach volunteered with us this past year, and he saw how good Izzy was," Patty shared in her interview for USTA.com. "He really wanted her to play for Earlham. Right, Izzy?" Izzy humbly laughs and confirms. 

Now Izzy is a freshman at Earlham College and is on the women's tennis team, practicing almost every day. She shares her passion for the game with younger kids who are going through the Amigos program like she did, helping them learn how to play tennis and how to speak English during language classes. 

"We're all working together," said Patty. "She's been a role model for our younger kids. They look up to her."