The Power of Doing Difficult Things ft Levi Hecht

The Power of Doing Difficult Things ft Levi Hecht

Author: Lisa Stone September 16, 2026 Duration: 32:23

Welcome to Season 15 Episode 37 of the ParentingAces Podcast!

What can stepping into the unknown teach you about life beyond tennis? Lisa Stone and Levi Hecht talk about the courage to do difficult, scary things when you cannot predict the outcome - because the biggest opportunities often begin outside your comfort zone.

Drawing on Levi’s experiences in Brazil and Argentina, the conversation looks beyond competition and technique to a mindset that applies everywhere: taking a chance, embracing uncertainty, and trusting that an unfamiliar path can lead somewhere meaningful. Whether the result is a breakthrough in tennis or a completely different kind of growth, the willingness to begin matters.

Levi shares the lesson he wants to carry into the rest of his life, while Lisa helps connect that insight to the choices athletes and anyone facing a new challenge must make. It is a candid glimpse at how travel, uncertainty, and difficult decisions can shape more than performance.

Key Takeaways for Parents:

  • Waiting for certainty protects you from immediate discomfort but also removes many paths to unexpected upside.
  • The lasting lesson from an experience is often not the specific outcome, but the behavior that made the outcome possible.

If you would like to get more information on Levi's South American training, you can contact his coach, Todd Widom, at todd@twtennis.com.

As always, Lisa is available for one-to-one consults to work with you as you find your way through junior tennis and the college recruiting process. You can purchase and book online through our website at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://parentingaces.com/shop/category/consult-with-lisa-stone/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

If you’re so inclined, please share this – and all our episodes! – with your fellow tennis players, parents, and coaches. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or via your favorite podcast app. Please be sure to check out our logo’d merch as well as our a la carte personal consultations in our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

CREDITS

Intro & Outro Music: Morgan Stone aka STØNE

Audio & Video Editing: Lisa Stone


For anyone navigating the complex journey of youth tennis, ParentingAces-The Junior Tennis and College Tennis Podcast serves as an essential weekly conversation. Host Lisa Stone guides these discussions, moving beyond just forehands and backhands to explore the entire pathway a young athlete travels. The focus here is on development, from a child's first swings all the way through the high-stakes juniors circuit and into the nuanced world of college recruiting. Each episode brings a different voice to the table. You'll hear from seasoned coaches, sports psychologists discussing mental resilience, and specialists in fitness and nutrition tailored for athletic growth. Practical topics like navigating technology and equipment or understanding the ever-changing recruiting landscape are broken down with clarity. This isn't just theory; it's actionable insight drawn directly from experts in the field. Whether you're a parent trying to support your child, a player aiming for the next level, or a coach shaping future talent, this podcast offers a trusted resource for the questions that aren't always answered on the court. Lisa's approach creates a space where the challenges and triumphs of building a tennis player are met with experience and genuine understanding.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

ParentingAces - The Junior Tennis and College Tennis Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Protect Your Child with BUNKR ft Hannah Keeling [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:13
Welcome to Season 15 Episode 16 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, former college coach, Hannah Keeling, is back to share with us her new position with BUNKR.BUNKR is an online platform providing security for a pla…
What is the Role of the College Coach ft Rod Ray [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:08
Welcome to Season 15 Episode 15 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, Coach Rod Ray is back to talk about his role as "coach" to Wofford tennis players and what he looks for in recruits.Rod has been coaching for 26 ye…
Find a Court Anytime, Anywhere with CourtsApp ft Daren Hornig [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:58
Welcome to Season 15 Episode 14 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, we learn about a new app to help tennis families find a court any time, whether at home or while traveling to a tournament.CourtsApp, the first AI-…
Our Family's Tennis Journey ft Greg Gilbert [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:53
Welcome to Season 15 Episode 13 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, Tennis Parent Greg Gilbert shares his family's tennis journey from the early days through the college recruiting process.The Junior Tennis Journey…
It's All in Your Head ft Josh Burger [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:53
Welcome to Season 15 Episode 12 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, sport psychology coach, Josh Burger, joins the pod to dig deeper into the mental side of tennis for both players and parents.Josh is a former Divis…
Tennis Needs an Infusion ft Steve Bellamy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:03
Welcome to Season 15 Episode 11 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, Lisa is joined by Chairman and CEO of TYPTI Inc., founder of the Tennis Channel, former President of Kodak, and fellow Tennis Parent, Steve Bellamy…
Junior Tennis is On the RISE ft Jeremy Saline [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:07
Welcome to Season 15 Episode 9 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, Lisa is joined by Tennis Parent and Entrepreneur, Jeremy Saline, to discuss the impetus behind On The RISE Tennis.Jeremy is the father of 4 children…
The Little Mo Pathway ft Lynn & Michael Arage [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:15:10
Welcome to Season 15 Episode 8 of the ParentingAces Podcast! This week, Lisa is joined by the parents of 2025 Little Mo International Champion Olivia Arage - Lynn and Michael Arange.It's always interesting to hear about…