Player Spotlight: Teal Henderson
BrYn Auld
Teal Henderson’s journey in tennis kicked off in a pretty laid-back way—just hitting balls against a VW van while waiting for her mom to finish up her matches in Kona, Hawaii. Who knew that would spark a lifelong love for the game? Teal ended up scoring a scholarship to play at UNLV, and funny enough, it was the only school she didn’t visit officially. The offer came after her big win at the Hawaiian State Championship during her senior year. College tennis turned out to be an amazing ride—playing alongside Tami and Suzi Agassi while Andre Agassi was training nearby felt surreal! Balancing school and life in the nonstop energy of Las Vegas was definitely a challenge, but so worth it. Some of Teal’s best tennis memories are from traveling with Hawaii’s Junior Davis Cup team and playing in mother-daughter tournaments with her mom. Those moments really strengthened her bond with both tennis and family.
After college, Teal took a long hiatus after starting a family and having 3 kids that currently range from ages 18 to 31. She was looking online for tournaments and came across the Senior National tournament schedule and picked some tournaments throughout the year that would motivate her to get back in shape and start playing again. From her very first tournament in 2004, she was hooked. She loved playing with new people and also being reunited with ladies she played against 20-30 years ago! In one tournament, she was placed with a doubles partner who became one of her best friends ever, Rachel Maniatis. Teal said, “I look forward to scheduling these tournaments as it gives me a guaranteed and much-needed break from my day-to-day life and it also makes sure I am taking some time to give myself some self-love and care.” Teal didn’t realize how much she missed the competition. She believes that college tennis burned her out a bit, but is now more competitive than she ever was! Tennis these days also allows her to have that spirit and outlet.
On the professional side, Teal made a shift into commercial real estate, starting a company back in 2018 to help athletes get smart about their finances and investments. It’s all about blending her love for sports and real estate while tackling some important issues, like helping athletes avoid financial struggles after their playing days are over. Working with NFL players helped Teal realize how lucky tennis players are that they can continue to play the sport they love until their last days. Teal explained, “The NFL players usually don't get to pick their ‘retirement’ date, and they are usually in their 30s when they have to stop playing their sport, and the transition and loss of that part of their identity as an athlete can be rough.”
Getting back into competitive tennis through senior tournaments has been such a breath of fresh air for her. It brought back that competitive spark, introduced her to some fantastic new friends, and gave her a much-needed break from the daily grind. To Teal, tennis has truly been a lifelong gift! She has been playing NWTO events since 2004 and has captained the Florida Intersectional team for many years.
