Hiiii! My name is Coach Lebelo, founder of Lebelo Mosehle Tennis Academy in Tampa, Florida.

I was born and raised in a small African kingdom called Lesotho, which is completely landlocked within South Africa. It's a beautiful mountain country with untouched nature everywhere. As the coldest country in Africa, it even snows in the winter. You may have seen our stunning landscape featured in the movie Black Panther! Wakanda forever ✊

Despite the many natural resources, my home country is burdened with poverty. Growing up, my family of five lived off a salary of just $80. I knew I had to change my fate, and sports was my best chance to make it to America. Through hard work, dedication, and luck, I was able to chase my dreams of playing tennis professionally, claiming the title of #3 best tennis player in Africa.

I had an opportunity to play D1 tennis in the US, but I couldn't afford a flight across the world. I had to get creative and went straight to the King of my country to ask for help. The King took a chance on me and graciously bought my one way flight to the US.

From that one act of generosity, life has favored me. I'm grateful for everything that brought me here. Now I want to be the light to everyone so they know where you are from does not define where you are going.

Now that I've built a beautiful life for myself here in the United States, I'm going back home to Africa in December 2022 to spread love and light to young kids back in Lesotho. My goal is to provide kids with food, clothing, sport equipment, and pay their school fees. I want to do everything in my power to give back to my home country. I want to show the kids they're made for more.

✨ I know what it would’ve meant for me to receive this support and encouragement as a young Lebelo. Now I want to do what I wish someone could've done for me twenty years ago in Africa.

With your gift of funds, together we're going to impact kids' lives:

• Pay education fees for a school of 4,000 kids

• Fund a tennis tournament to raise awareness of the sport of tennis

• Buy shoes for everyone participating in the tournament

• Provide full meals for everyone in the tournament

• Fund a program to take coaches to small villages across the country of Lesotho

• Feed kids for Christmas as parents cannot afford a Christmas meal

I started playing tennis at the age of 6 in Lesotho, Africa. I was a swimmer first but they were charging 5 cents and my family lived off an $80 salary for a group of 5. My older brother started playing tennis and I was fascinated by the fact that he would bring tennis balls back and sell them in my village. I only got a pair of shoes once a year, and that would be on Christmas. I competed for years barefoot and my feet would tear until I started bleeding. I would take a few days off, then when I felt better I would go back again. At the time I was only 8/9. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ When I turned 10, I quit playing to help my mom start her business selling clothes on the side street so I can contribute to helping my family. I had to grow up and basically be a man at 10. One of my coaches came to my house and talked to my parents about how much talent he thinks I have. So my parents let me go back but I had to sell oranges from office to office so I can buy myself a pair of tennis shoes.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ The same coach moved away and I felt like my dreams were shattered. After a year, he invited me to live with him in his one room house. One of the players received a tennis scholarship to come to America and I knew that’s what I wanted. Nobody in my country has ever played college tennis so to them, it was a crazy dream. The king of Lesotho offered to help with my flight and my mom managed to gather $20 from neighbors. I remember my first day when I got to college and everyone went to Walmart to buy the necessities and I walked out with nothing. My coach asked why and I told him my situation. He then went home and gave me some of his old blankets and a few things to use. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ In my first year in college I got two odd jobs where I worked 35 hours a week and I was a full time student and an athlete. (I had to make it work). I was not on any scholarship so I had to work super hard so I could receive a tennis scholarship the following year. Fast forward to 4 years in college, I made first team conference D1 and received a degree. Now I get to live my dream life of sharing my love of tennis and inspiring others.