Robert Hadden is the tennis coach, and Director of Just Cause Tennis. He is also an Outreach Consultant/Dropout Prevention Specialist for the Oakland Unified School District, where he counsels at-risk youth, and finds intervention strategies to prevent them from dropping out of school. He is a member of the Professional Tennis Registry (USPTR) and is working on his professional tennis certification.

Robert is a product of Oakland California. He was an honor student and a top athlete. He attended Castlemont High School where he played on the varsity tennis team, and played All-City tennis.

"My school playground director, Rich Gohlke, introduced me to the game of tennis when I was a young boy. I liked the game and began to take lessons," say Hadden.

The game of tennis was a successful intervention strategy that changed my life dramatically. I gained more confidence in my abilities. Tennis is a sport where a single player has to depend on his/her mental and physical discipline and development. It also teaches one social skills and sportsmanship which carry over to one's daily living," he adds.

After high school Robert was offered academic scholarships from both UC Berkeley, and the University of San Francisco, as well as an athletic scholarship from Cal Technology, Pasadena. He played at the collegiate level and graduated from the University of San Francisco with a BA degree in Public Administration.

While attending college he taught tennis for the National Junior Tennis League that Arthur Ashe presented throughout the nation for inner city youth. In this program he taught disadvantage youth at the Hunters Point Recreation Center and the North Beach Chinese Community Recreation Center in San Francisco.. After graduating from college, Robert worked in counseling for the Alameda County Juvenile Hall and later as a correctional officer for the Oakland Police Department.

"Arthur Ashe once told me that 'if I consider the possibilities of becoming a great tennis player as he had done, then perhaps I too could become a great player,' says Robert. "Ashe's encouragement helped me to believe in myself, and now I reach out to youth and encourage them as he encouraged me," continues Robert.