On this week’s episode of the Chicago Stories Podcast, Mayor Emanuel Mayor Emanuel sat down with the founder of XS Tennis and coach of 2017 U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens to talk about growing up in Chicago, mentoring young people though tennis, and his growing the game.

For Kamau, tennis is more than a game. It’s a way to get kids off the streets and out of trouble, a way to drive students in the classroom and into college, and a way to bring neighborhoods together and expose young people from different communities to each other.

The driving force behind all of it is winning and creating a winning attitude—whether it’s teaching 7-year-olds how to hit the ball, or coaching Sloane Stephens to her U.S. Open championship.

That outlook and approach was shaped by two things: growing up in Chicago and a career corporate America. “I don’t think my story is possible without Chicago,” Kamau said.

As he told Mayor Emanuel, from Chicago he learned toughness and stamina, and from corporate America learned how to work.

Today, his sole focus is mentoring students, coaching athletes, and making the new XS Tennis facility “radiate.”

“The sport is better when we’re all present,” Kamau said. “If we are going to raise U.S. tennis back to where it should be, we need our best athletes and have to encourage everyone to play.”

Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts at http://bit.ly/ChiStories.

###