Produced by Tyler Byrum and Brian Tsao
This month JTCC would like to recognize three accomplished former students and in particular what they have gone onto achieve since leaving JTCC.
T.J. Bellama (Class of 2004)
T.J. was a first generation player as he came to JTCC when the facility was founded in 1999. He had picked up tennis in Zimbabwe, where he played barefoot on the grass courts of an avocado farm. His work ethic quickly translated to success at JTCC where his game flourished in the full-time program. He graduated in 2004, going on to play at Arizona State University initially on a partial scholarship that eventually parlayed into him earning a full scholarship by his senior season.
He continued his education by receiving a Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy from Northern Arizona University and became a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist. He has worked with top 100 ranked professionals and leading players in other sports in injury prevention and performance enhancement. Currently, he is a physical therapist for Endurance Rehab in Scottsdale, AZ.
Brooke Blackwell (Class of 2008)
Brooke battled serious hardships in her childhood, using JTCC as an anchor to help turn her life around. She trained at JTCC from 2004-2008, receiving full funding to help her through her training. In 2007 and 2008, she was named Most Valuable High School Player and was selected in the Washington Post All-Met Team.
She went on to attend George Mason University on a full scholarship. She was a multi-sport varsity athlete in tennis and track & field and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree Psychology and Social Studies. She was also part of the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program at Mason. She’s now a Captain in the U.S. Army flying Blackhawk helicopters, protecting the country’s borders.
Shaun Nguyen (Class of 2013)
Shaun has spent more than a decade immersed in JTCC’s culture as he trained at the facility from 2004-2013 and now holds a full-time position as the Assistant Director of Tennis Growth. He applies his values of work ethic and passion in his motivational coaching style in order to develop well-rounded students of the game.
He’s a graduate of Towson University with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management and is actively pursuing his Master’s Degree in Sport Management at Georgetown University. Through his position, he works on JTCC marketing initiatives and is a Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) certified coach for junior and adult programs
