>>> HI, EVERYBODY.
AND WELCOME TO "HOUSTON LIFE."
I'M DERRICK SHORE.
>> AND I'M COURTNEY ZAVALA.
GREAT TO BE HERE.
>> IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU BACK
ON DAY 2.
SINCE THIS IS COURTNEY'S FIRST
WEEK OFFICIALLY AS MY COHOST
HERE ON "HOUSTON LIFE," WE'VE
BEEN TAKING SOME TIME EVERY
SINGLE DAY TO GET TO KNOW A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT HER LIFE.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
IT'S BEEN FUN.
WELL, YESTERDAY WAS EMBARRASSING
BECAUSE IT WENT DOWN MEMORY LANE
OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU
FIRST START YOUR CAREER AND
AWFUL HAIRCUTS AND ALL OF THAT
STUFF.
>> THE HAIRSTYLES AND ALL THAT.
WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT YOUR
FAMILY.
TWOWF BOYS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> -- FAMILY.
YOU HAVE TWO BOYS.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
6 AND 10.
>> YES.
>> AND YOU'RE SNOWBOARDERS.
>> MY HUSBAND IS FROM SALT LAKE
CITY.
WE SPENT SEVERAL YEARS THERE.
THAT'S US GETTING DRESSED UP FOR
THE EVENING.
ORLANDO COACHES OUR BOYS IN
BASEBALL AND HANDS ON.
GOSH, THIS WAS -- BEGINNING OF
THE SEASON.
SO THIS WAS THE ASTROS/CUBS GAME
HERE.
I'M FROM CHICAGO, RIGHT?
BUT I MEAN, WE ARE ASTROS FANS
BUT LOOK AT THE BOYS, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S ADORABLE.
>> DOUBLE THE GEAR.
>> YOU HAVE SUCH AN IMPOSSIBLY
CUTE FAMILY.
LOOK AT THAT!
>> AAH.
>> WARMS MY.
HEART.
>> WE KNOW YOU'RE A BUSY MOM AND
BUSY TELEVISION HOST.
I THINK IN ADDITION TO THOSE
PHOTOS, WE MATSCH ANOTHER
SPECIAL VIDEO -- WE MAY HAVE
ANOTHER SPECIAL VIDEO.
>> OH, MY GOSH.
>> ARE YOU NERVOUS?
DON'T BE NERVOUS.
>> CONGRATULATIONS, COURTNEY, ON
YOUR NEW BIG WITH
"HOUSTON LIFE."
WE COULD NOT FIND A MORE PERFECT
FIT FOR YOU.
YOU AND I STARTED IN THE
BUSINESS TOGETHER IN 1995.
ROOMMATES IN MIDLAND, TEXAS.
I'M SO PROUD OF YOU BECAUSE THIS
IS THE PERFECT FIT FOR YOU AND I
CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU ON
"HOUSTON LIFE."
>> HI, COURT.
IT'S YOUR BOYS.
WE WANTED TO WISH YOU
CONGRATULATIONS.
AND LET AS YOU KNOW HOW EXCITED
WE ARE FOR THIS NEW OPPORTUNITY
THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE WITH
"HOUSTON LIFE."
>> CONGRATULATIONS.
>> WE LOVE YOU.
>> BYE, MOM.
>> BYE.
[LAUGHTER]
>> OH.
THAT IS SO SWEET!
OH, MY GOSH.
>> SWEET.
>> BROUGHT ME TO TEARS.
>> MAKEUP!
YOU'RE A DISASTER!
>> I'M A DISASTER.
>> WITH ZINA DEPARISON HERE AND
RACHEL TALKING AND THE BOYS.
YOU CAN'T DO THAT TO ME
UNANNOUNCED.
>> I'M GLAD YOU WERE MOVED TO
TEARS.
>> I AM.
>> THERE ARE A LOT PEOPLE
EXCITED TO HAVE YOU HERE.
>> I'M GLAD TO BE HERE.
>> DO YOU AD INTO MOMENT?
-- DO YOU NEED A MOMENT?
SHE'S ABOUT TO BURST INTO TEARS
OVER OUR FIRST GUEST.
SHE'S A COMPLETE ROCK STAR.
SHE STARTED TENNIS.
YOU PLAYED TENNIS.
HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE, BUT
ZINA GARRISON STARTED PLAYING AT
10 YEARS OLD.
SHE WOULD LATER GO ON TO WIN
NUMEROUS WORLD TITLES AND
OLYMPIC GOLD.
>> AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
I MEAN, I'M NOT KIDDING.
I TOLD YOU, ZINA, I SAID I SAW
YOU PLAY THE VIRGINIA SLIMS
TOURNAMENT, CHICAGO -- I DON'T
WANT TO SAY WHAT YEAR THAT WAS.
BUT YOU ARE SUCH A ROCK STAR.
I MEAN, GIRL POWER.
ATHLETE, OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST.
>> I TRY.
>> UNBELIEVABLE CAREER YOU'VE
HAD.
>> I WANT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS
TO YOU AND WELCOME TO HOUSTON!
MY HOMETOWN.
SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU.
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S AWESOME.
I'M REALLY GLAD TO BE HERE AS
WELL.
AND WHAT I LOVE -- I NEED TO
BRAG ON YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE
BECAUSE I'LL YOUR CLASSMATES
WERE GETTING READY FOR
GRADUATION AT STERLING HIGH,
WHAT DID YOU DO?
>> I WENT TO THE FRENCH OPEN!
>> COOL.
>> MY FIRST FRENCH OPEN ACTUALLY
MADE IT TO THE QUARTERFINALS.
SO FOR ME IT WAS LEAVE YOUR
PROM, THE NEXT DAY YOU'RE ON A
FLIGHT.
AND I'M IN THE QUARTERFINALS AT
THE FRENCH OPEN.
>> FRENCH OPEN, NEVER HEARD OF
IT.
[LAUGHTER]
>> I'M KIDDING.
SO WHEN ALL OF THIS WAS
HAPPENING, I'VE GOT TO ASK YOU,
BECAUSE YOU HAVE BEEN SUCH AN
INCREDIBLE ROLE MODEL TO SO MANY
YURCHG WOMEN OUT THERE -- YOUNG
WOMEN OUT THERE.
WHEN YOU STARTED PLAYING TENNIS,
DID YOU SET OUT TO CHANGE
PEOPLE'S PERSPECTIVES ON THE
WORLD?
OR WERE YOU JUST DOING WHAT YOU
LOVE TO DO?
>> I WAS JUST REALLY DOING WHAT
I LOVE TO DO BUT MORE THAN
ANYTHING WHAT MY MOM PASSED DOWN
TO ME.
MY MOM ALWAYS PASSED DOWN TO
TREAT PEOPLE THE WAY YOU WANTED
TO BE TREATED.
BE THE BEST PERSON THAT YOU CAN
BE IN ANYTHING THAT YOU DO.
AND A I HAD A LOT OF ROLE MODEL.
MAYA ANGEL YOUO WAS LIKE --
ANGELOU WAS LIKE A MOTHER TO ME.
>> YOU BECAME THE FIRST
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN TO WIN A
GRAND SLAM SINCE ALTHEA GIBSON,
RIGHT?
>> YES.
AND ALTHEA WAS A HUGE PART.
I QUIT TENNIS FOR ABOUT TWO
MONTHS WHEN SHE TOLD ME I NEEDED
TO WORK A LITTLE BIT HEARD.
I WASN'T -- HARDER.
I WASN'T WORKING HARD ENOUGH.
AND I QUIT TENNIS AND THAT'S
WHEN I REALIZED I WANTED TO BE A
PROFESSIONAL.
>> THE LIFE LESSONS THAT YOU
WENT THROUGH TO ACHIEVE THOSE
TITLES, THE TOUR, THAT'S A HARD
LIFE TO GIVE UP SORT OF THAT
TEENAGE YEARS AND TO REALLY GO
AFTER IT.
BUT I WOULD IMAGINE, ARE YOU
STILL PULLING THERE THAT TODAY?
BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH SOME
TRAGEDY WITH HARVEY AND YOUR
NEPHEW AND I JUST FEEL LIKE --
AS AN ATHLETE AND SOMEBODY THAT
KIND OF WENT THROUGH ALL OF THAT
ALREADY, HERE WE GO AGAIN.
>> WELL, FOR ME IT'S JUST --
IT'S PART OF IT.
THAT'S THE GREAT THING ABOUT
TENNIS, IS THERE'S ALWAYS ONE
MORE BALL, ONE MORE SHOT,
THERE'S ANOTHER TOURNAMENT.
SO YOU LEARN THE LIFE LESSONS
AND TENNIS HAS BIG A BIG PART.
I'VE HAD A LOT OF DIFFICULT
SITUATIONS BUT SO HAVE OTHER
PEOPLE.
THERE'S ALWAYS A BRIGHTER DAY
AND HOUSTON HAS ALWAYS BEEN
KNOWN FOR LIKE, KICKING UP OUR
BOOTS AND GETTING ON TO THE
NEXT --
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> GETTING ON TO THE NEXT, YOU
HAVE A ZINA GARRISON ACADEMY.
THIS IS SO COOL.
YOU PROVIDE FREE YEAR-ROUND
TENNIS EDUCATION AND SORT OF
LIKE A WELLNESS PROGRAM.
>> YES.
IT'S ACTUALLY BEEN GOING FOR 25
YEARS.
I STARTED RIGHT AFTER I FINISHED
ON TOUR.
I WANTED TO GIVE BACK.
I HAD THE.
TENNIS LESSONS.
FOR 25 YEARS.
>> AND WE'RE SEEING SOME VIDEO.
AND THIS IS YOUNG PEOPLE OF WHAT
AGE?
>> IT'S ACTUALLY WE GO FROM 4 TO
18.
SO I BELIEVE GIVING KIDS THE
OPPORTUNITY TO AT LEAST LEARN
THE GAME.
THERE'S SO MANY VALUES TO IT.
ALSO POSSIBLY GET A TENNIS
SCHOLARSHIP AS WELL.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> OR MAYBE ONE DAY HAVE A
PROFESSIONAL ON THE SPORTS
AGAIN.
>> WHY NOT.
AND TRULY, IT IS A SPORT THAT
YOU CAN HAVE FOREVER.
IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE A
LIFESPAN.
>> NO.
>> YOU COULD PLAY IT FOREVER.
AND YOU KNOW, TAKING TENNIS AND
THEN YOU HAVE AN EVENT COMING
UP, FUN DAY IN THE PARK.
>> YEAH.
>> THIS IS ALSO KIND OF FULL
CIRCLE WITH HARVEY AS WELL.
>> YEAH.
IT REALLY IS.
WE'RE SITTING BACK TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO, AND YOU
KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID BEFORE, I
GOT AFFECTED BY HURRICANE
HARVEY.
I ACTUALLY WENT OUT TO GEORGE R.
BROWN, GAVE KIDS TENNIS LESSONS
AS WELL AS WINDSOR VILLAGE, THE
CHURCH THAT I'M FROM.
AND I SAW THAT THE KIDS WERE
LIKE, THEY WERE LOOKING FOR FUN.
SO MY BOARD GOT TOGETHER.
WE'RE ALREADY GOING TO DO A 5K
WALK.
AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, LET'S
MAKE THIS EVEN BIGGER.
LET'S TAKE OVER THE WHOLE PARK.
SO THERE WOULD BE BASEBALL,
TEXAS SOUTHERN IS GOING TO HAVE
A GAME.
CLYDE DIRECTION TER IS GOING
TO -- DREXLER IS GOING TO GIVE
BASKETBALL LESSONS.
CARL LEWIS WILL BE DOING THE
WALK.
SO WE HAVE BUMBEE AND ALL THESE
DIFFERENT ENTERTAINERS THAT ARE
COMING OUT.
LIKE GIVE KIDS THE OPPORTUNITY.
JUST PEOPLE TO HAVE FUN AGAIN
AND FORGET ABOUT HARVEY FOR A
MINUTE.
JUST COME OUT AND HAVE FUN.
>> THIS IS AMAZING.
I MEAN, YOU WERE DEALING WITH SO
MUCH DURING THIS TIME.
AS FLOODWATERS WERE SURROUNDING
YOUR HOME, YOU HAD TO FIND A WAY
TO GETTIER NEPHEW TO DIALYSIS?
>> YEAH.
THAT WAS -- YOU KNOW, I THANK
GOD FOR -- SHE WAS DEFINITELY
WHO REALLY HELPED ME.
SHE WAS TEXTING ME BACK AND
FORTH.
THOSE WERE VERY HARD PROBABLY
FOUR DAYS.
MY SISTER ACTUALLY GOT STRANDED
TRYING TO HELP.
HE ENDED UP FINALLY GETTING
DIALYSIS.
AND IT JUST REALLY WOKE ME UP TO
WHY WE'RE IN THE -- WHILE WE'RE
IN THE MIDST OF THIS, SOMEONE
LIKE HIM NEEDS DIALYSIS TO LIVE
AND WE'RE THINKING ABOUT ALL OUR
OTHER.
BITTY PROBLEMS, BUT THIS PERSON
NEEDED IT, YOU HAVE TO GET IT.
IT WOKE ME UP IN A LOT OF WAYS.
>> IT PROMPTED YOU TO GET OUT
INTO THE COMMUNITY AND GIVE BACK
WHILE WERE YOU DEALING WITH ALL
THIS PERSONAL STUFF YOURSELF.
>> ONE OF MY NIECES SAID TO ME,
YOU'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO GET --
YOU'RE FLOODED OUT.
YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING FOR
SOMEONE ELSE.
BUT IT TOOK AWAY THE ATTENTION
FOR WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO ME AT
THAT MOMENT.
>> RIGHT.
AND I THINK AT THAT MOMENT, TOO,
IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
THE SMILE AND HAVE A GOOD TIME.
>> YEAH.
>> AND I THINK THAT TAKES THE
PRESSURE OFF.
I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
COME BACK AND DEAL WITH THAT.
BUT IT DOES MEAN A LOT,
ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS.
YOU KNOW, TO COME IN AND HAVE
SOME NORMALCY.
>> IT'S THE BEST.
WHEN THEY HIT THAT FIRST BALL
OVER THE NET AND A LOT OF THEM
NEVER EVEN KNEW ABOUT TENNIS OR
KNEW WHAT TENNIS WAS AND JUST TO
HIT THE BALL OVER THE NET AND
SOMEONE WOULD COME OUT AND GIVE
THE TIME TO THEM, THEY WEREN'T
THINKING ABOUT ANYTHING.
THEY KEPT SAYING, WHERE CAN I GO
AFTER WE LEAVE HERE?
WHERE CAN WE GO?
I HAVE A YEAR-ROUND TENNIS
PROGRAM, MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND
FRIDAYS 5:00 TO 6:30 AT
MacGREGOR PARK.
YOU CAN PLAY FREE.
>> WHAT AGES?
>> 4 TO 18.
>> AND NOT TOO YOUNG AT 4.
>> NO, THEY'RE THE CUTEST.
>> THIS IS PART OF YOUR ACADEMY?
>> YES, IT IS.
>> YOU'VE TOUCHED TODAY MORE
THAN 40,000 YOUNG PEOPLE.
20 SECONDS BUT IF YOU HAD TO
SORT OF SUM UP THE IMPORTANCE OF
YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE NOW, I
MEAN, THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING
NOW, CLEARLY PEOPLE KNOW WHO YOU
ARE AND YOU'VE WON ALL OF THESE
ACCOLADES.
BUT WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE FOR
YOU WHEN IT COMES TO INVESTING
IN YOUNG PEOPLE AND ENSURING
THAT THEY'RE OKAYFIED AND --
OCCUPIED AND GOOD ATING IN.
>> I KNEW AT A -- GOOD AT
SOMETHING?
>> I KNEW AT AGE 8 OR 7 TH I'M
ABOUT TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO
THE WORLD.
I'M GIVING PEOPLE THE
OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE I'VE BEEN
GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY.
>> THANK YOU FOR STOPPING BY.
I'LL LET YOU TWO P.
>> SUCH A PLEASURE.
I THINK THIS IS GOING SOMEWHERE.
I CAN FIELD GOAL IT HAD -- I CAN
FEEL IT.