The Tennis Titan

Wolff Center Senior Fosters Athletic, Personal Growth through Tennis Business

By Donna Keeya
Published on November 12, 2025

For marketing and entrepreneurship senior Rico Castillo, tennis is more than a sport, and his company “Rally with Rico” is more than a business.

Long before he started studying at the No. 1 ranked Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship, Castillo spent his childhood playing tennis with his dad. The sport was a way for the pair to bond, sharing many fond memories on the court together over the years. Despite some initial reservations, that familial connection was what first encouraged Castillo to teach tennis.

“My dad is the one who inspired me to get into teaching,” Castillo said. “Ever since the first lesson that I taught, I thought ‘this is amazing.’ Not only being able to teach the students about tennis, but about life.”

Castillo’s love for learning life lessons on the court blossomed over time, and he began running his own business as a sole proprietor in 2019. After getting accepted into the Wolff Center, Castillo’s business continued to grow and became incorporated as an LLC last year. Currently, he has several assistant coaches and employees who help him operate the company.

Throughout it all, the relationships Castillo makes with his clients are what keep him going.

"The most enriching part is seeing the change in the students that I teach, from the youngest students who are 10 years old, all the way up to some doctors that I've taught before,” he said. “Being able to see the change in their growth after a few lessons, not only in tennis, but just as a person, is incredible.”

Building on that people-first mentality is engrained in the Wolff Center’s DNA, but beyond interpersonal skills, Castillo said the program has helped him further develop workflow strategies. Castillo said at the top of the list of what the Wolff Center taught him is time management.

" I’ve learned to manage not only making sure everything's good at my business, but also here at the Wolff Center,” he said. “I make sure everything that I'm doing within the program and outside of the program is timed correctly, so I have time for everything I prioritize without getting behind.”