Monday Motivation….. September 29, 2025 (766)

Monday Motivation….. September 29, 2025 (766)
In 1980, Richard Williams was watching TV when he saw a Romanian tennis player win a tournament and receive a check for $40,000.
That was more than he had ever earned in a year.
That moment… changed everything.
He turned off the TV, grabbed a piece of paper and a pen… and wrote a 78-page plan.
His goal: One day, his unborn daughter would be at the top of the world tennis table.
But there was a small problem: Richard knew nothing about tennis.
He lived in Compton, California, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in America.
And he didn’t have a dime in his pocket.
For five years, he read tennis magazines, watched tapes, learned the moves… all by himself, without a coach.
Then he gave a racket to Venus, then Serena.
And the dream… began. He collected old balls that had been thrown away from wealthy clubs.
He practiced with his daughters on dilapidated public courts.
Most of the time, he was beaten by gangs trying to protect them.
On one occasion, his nose, jaw, fingers were broken because he would not leave the court…his teeth were knocked out.“History will remember this toothless man as a symbol of bravery,” he wrote in his diary one day.
Tennis was a sport for the white, the rich, the marginalized. This black family…was disturbing.
One day, his daughters asked, “Dad, why is everyone looking at us like that?”
Richard answered without blinking: “Because they are not used to such beautiful people.”

Moral:
Years later, the calendar showed Wimbledon 2000.
A young, black, strong woman took to the court. Her father was in the stands.
Venus Williams won her first Grand Slam. And Richard…danced with tears in his eyes.
Then came Serena. 23 Grand Slam titles. An indelible mark on sports history.
But long before the medals…They endured the taunts, the racial slurs, the cruel comparisons.
Their father taught them: The strongest answer is with a racket.
“One day we will win Wimbledon. And it won’t be for us.
It will be for the poor and forgotten of America.” — Richard Williams
Today, millions of little girls — and boys — know: Yes, it is possible.
Because a father dared to dream for them… before they could even dream.
Have a great week ahead…!