When a young person learns how to care for their energy, their values, and their inner voice, performance begins to stabilize. Confidence deepens. Life opens. This practice isn’t about slowing ambition. It’s about making it sustainable.
This is why we partner with organizations like TeamFAME (Future Aces Modeling Excellence). Their commitment to developing the whole athlete, not just the competitor, resonates with everything we stand for at The Person First. Together, we are on a mission to redefine what success looks like for young athletes.
What is TeamFAME?
TeamFAME serves under-resourced students in Newport and surrounding communities through one-on-one tutoring, tennis programs, social and emotional lessons, and enrichment activities that keep students active, engaged, and growing in their love of tennis and the character benefits it fosters.
TeamFAME’s approach centers on four pillars: Tennis & Wellness, Character Development, Academic Support & Enrichment, and Community Building. TeamFAME develops their program through a deep commitment to values: Integrity, Respect, Determination, Positive Attitude, Teamwork, Competitive Spirit, Self-Worth, Empathy, Communication, and Gratitude. By creating spaces to develop these skills, athletes and coaches can grow alongside each other, and walk away from the court ready to embrace life’s obstacles with confidence.
This philosophy aligns perfectly with our mission at The Person First. As partners, we understand that exceptional athletes are built on a foundation of strong character, mental wellness, and purpose.
Why This Partnership Matters
Youth athletics has traditionally emphasized effort and achievement, while underestimating the essential role of recovery, education, and mental wellness in sustaining great performance over time.
We've seen the consequences:
- Young athletes burning out before they reach their potential
- Students sacrificing grades for extra training hours
- Mental health struggles hidden behind the pressure to perform
- Identity crises when sports careers come to a close
- Physical injuries as a result of overexertion without proper recovery
The Person First and TeamFAME understand there's a better way.
What We're Building Together
Through our partnership, we're bringing Dr. Jim Loehr's 30+ years of performance psychology research directly to TeamFAME's community of young athletes. This means science-backed training in energy management, the oscillation principle of balancing stress and recovery, purpose-driven performance, and sustainable excellence without burnout.
This work helps athletes build character and values that last beyond athletics, develop mental wellness skills for life's challenges, create balance between athletics, academics, and personal growth, and discover their identity beyond their sport.
For 8 weeks, the students at TeamFAME are engaging customized virtual learning modules, participating in facilitated group learning, and reflecting on their lessons through journaling to connect what they’re learning to their everyday lives. , TeamFAME athletes are learning to protect their health while training hard, managing academic pressures alongside athletic commitments, building mental resilience for both competition and life, and leading with integrity in their communities.
.png)
