One Love to NHHS to UNCW: A living legacy left behind by Lenny Simpson
Augie Ballantine is one of countless people whose lives have been touched by tennis great Lenny Simpson.
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Only four losses in three years as a tennis player for New Hanover High School. As a recent commit to UNCW, Augie Ballantine reflects on how he learned to go from good to great on the court from one of the best the court has ever seen — Lenny Simpson.
Growing up, Lenny Simpson lived next to Dr. Hubert Eaton’s home at 1406 Orange Street in Wilmington. Eaton was a civil rights activist, physician, and tennis player. Tennis legends like Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson trained on the tennis court Eaton built in 1948 in the home’s backyard.
Simpson’s love for tennis began when he was five-years-old and Althea Gibson encouraged him to pick up a racket. He became one of the youngest men in history to play in the U.S. Open at 15-years-old.
After spending years traveling the world playing tennis alongside tennis greats, Simpson returned home to Wilmington in 2013 to start One Love Tennis. Simpson and his wife, Joann, restored Dr. Eaton’s home to be used as the headquarters of One Love Tennis, the One Love Tennis Academic Enrichment Facility.
In 2015, Lenny Simpson said he was confident a then nine-year-old Augie would play tennis in college.
“He’s one of those kids that will claw you and scratch you and will hang in there and do what he needs to do to walk off that court with a W and he does it the right way,” said Simpson during an interview in 2015.
Augie first met Simpson when he was seven-years-old. He was one of the first to join Simpson’s One Love Tennis Program. Now almost 18-years-old, the New Hanover High School senior just signed on to play tennis for UNCW.
“He knew that I was signing with UNCW and he couldn’t have been happier,” said Ballantine. “That’s what he wanted for me from the beginning. From when we met, he wanted to turn me into a college tennis player and that’s what he helped do. Without him, I just don’t think I’d be here today.”
Through the years, Simpson became even more than a mentor for Augie.
“He was like a grandpa to me,” said Ballantine. “I would talk to him about life, tennis a lot. He helped me in so many ways as a tennis coach but also just as a person. If I was struggling with something in school or anything I could just go to Lenny whenever and he would have the answer.”
Shortly after Augie had the opportunity to tell Simpson he’d signed to play for UNCW last, Simpson died following health challenges after suffering from three strokes in 2021.
While Simpson is no longer here to share his knowledge and spread love, Augie is taking on the racquet. He plans to continue to stay involved with One Love, continuing to grow Simpson’s efforts to help create great tennis players and even better people.
“Lenny wouldn’t want me to stop here. He’d want me to keep grinding and go as far as I can and be the best human I can be in life,” said Ballantine. “That’s what he wanted the most. He wanted his players in the program to be great tennis players but more of great people. He was the best role model for that.”
