By Emilio Sánchez Vicario, CEO & Founder at Sánchez-Casal Academy
He is Corey Hart. His passions: Music & Tennis. His life: Singing, Family & Musicians Coaching.
A couple of days ago we presented our summer song to welcome all the summer campers to our facilities sin Naples, Nainjing and Barcelona. I guess you are asking yourselves what Emilio Sánchez has to do with Corey Hart, a very important singer from the eighties, and today author, coach and mentor of Jonathan Roy, who is the artist singing “Gonna be a damn good day”?
I will now show you that we have a lot in common.
We are both parents of four kids, we have both been successful in the eighties, and have both given opportunities to young people. Corey is helping the young singer Jonathan to develop himself, while we are helping at Academia Sanchez-Casal his three daughters to transition in tennis.
We have similar life values, as family is at the top of the list of our lives, and we help others.
When he was looking for an Academy, 7 years ago, he chose Barcelona even if Chris Evert is one of his closest friends and godmother of one of his kids. His loyalty and support is unconditional, his believe in the system and in my person goes beyond limits.
He arrived to our Academy with his 3 kids; it has been a while since that day.
Today India, the oldest, is at Savannah College of Art and design (SCAD). Dante, the middle one, graduates next Friday and will enroll in Mars Hill University with a scholarship….. River, the third one, has had a tough year when she was almost starting to succeed in ITF’s, as she suffered from a difficult foot injury for 4 months. After recovering, she is now starting to come back. Her future is in her hands.
Corey is working very hard to give his daughters opportunities in education and sport. And he decided to coach, mentor, and direct his best friend’s son…. Patrick Roy, the best goalie in the NHL history.
Jonathan Roy is a gifted singer, young, talented, but he needs guidance, help, and there Corey plays a big role, like a tennis coach with his students that want to transition from juniors to pros. It’s a tough pathway but it is worth it, if student and coach share empathy, respect and values.
Roy is singing a great song; the rhythm, the talent, the lyrics match perfectly with our story, and we believe it will be a big hit this summer. I’m so grateful to Corey, Roy and Warner for their generosity and friendship.
My admiration for Corey goes beyond limits. We are trying to help his daughters through our mission to create opportunities in tennis, education and life, and seeing him trying to do the same with Roy puts him on the list of my favorite people.
My father taught me that life is always fair, and that trains pass in front of you. When Corey offered me the possibility of using this song, I was deeply grateful, and I jumped on that train. The result is outstanding. I can’t thank him enough for his support and trust.
I am sure that our parallel journeys of helping our students in tennis and music will be worth it, and in a few years when we will look back, we can say that we left our legacy and our students did their best to transition and make a difference.
Thank you so much, my friend Corey, the next challenge will be a Roy-Corey concert in our Academy in Naples-Florida in December. It will be epic. Don’t miss it!
Emilio Sánchez Vicario
CEO & Founder at Sánchez-Casal Academy
