Developing Youth and College Level Players with Rafael "Rafa" Martinez

What does it really take to build mentally tough athletes? Rafael "Rafa" Martinez joins us to break down the foundation of building not just great tennis players, but strong, confident individuals. As the USD Women’s Tennis Assistant Coach and Tennis Director at Mountain View Sports & Racquet Club, Rafa has worked with athletes at every stage of development. In this conversation, he shares his journey in tennis and reveals how coaches can instill resilience, mental toughness, and self-belief in players—from their earliest years in the sport to competing at the highest collegiate level.