Since the age of five, Tumeka Harris has been passionate about two things: tennis and helping others. It was the intersection of these interests that would lead her to a promising career as a rising, young author. Training to be a professional athlete at such a tender age taught Ms. Harris many important lessons. She learned that help, hope, and faith were essential to her success. By the age of eleven, she had ranked in four age groups, including the 18-&-under category. Because of her drive, talent, and family support, Ms. Harris was awarded a scholarship to one of the best tennis academies in the world, where she trained with Anna Kournikova, Iva Majoli, Mary Pierce, and Monica Seles.
As a result, Ms. Harris finished in the top five in the state of Florida . She was also an integral part of the only women's tennis team in the history of the University of Michigan to bring home the Big Ten and Regional championships. And ultimately, Ms. Harris played in several professional Women's Tennis Association tournaments. While on the tour, she felt she could serve as an inspiration to children by participating in community events hosted by tournament sponsors. In addition to Ms. Harris' athletic career, she became a working model and strengthened her writing skills as a sports reporter. She returned to her hometown with a degree from the Univ. of MI , where she helped children learn the game of tennis. Working with kids on a daily basis really opened her eyes to the serious problems facing today's youth. Soon after, it became apparent to Ms. Harris that she could teach so much more. Tennis gave her the opportunity to have traveled across the country and around the world, learning much in the process and also gaining wisdom in helping the people in the places she visited. Though her parents divorced when Ms. Harris was a toddler — their benevolence and emphasis on faith made a lasting impression. Her father, Ronnie Harris, was a 1968 Olympic gold medalist, and Ms. Harris witnessed her mother's strength as a single parent and an IT consultant. A favorite quote told to Tumeka by her mother was, “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?” All of these experiences contributed to her desire to create a series of books that would help instill values, and provide hope for children. With “The BigHeds' Adventures,” Ms. Harris intends to inspire, entertain, and educate for generations to come.
