“Every day is a gift and whatever we’re doing together is better,” said Fred Shlesinger, shown with Barbara, his partner in life, on the tennis court and in everything.
By Deb Silverthorn
Barbara and Fred Shlesinger bring a positive spin to love when it comes to tennis — and everything they’ve shared together for nearly 35 years. The game may count “love” as zero, but in the Shlesingers’ love story, the sky’s the limit.
The couple, coaching the Shelton School’s middle and high school tennis teams since 2021, have brought their athletes to state championships, honors and success. The sport that he played as a preteen and she took up as an adult keeps the couple rallying to new experiences.
“This year our varsity team went 11 and one and the middle schoolers were undefeated,” said Fred. “On and off the court they are terrific. Spending time with these kids is the best.”
After selling his Principal Financial Group practice in 2019, Fred wasn’t ready to retire. Seeing an ad for a tennis coach, for the school close to home, he applied. Ten minutes into the interview with Shelton School Director of Athletics Alan Burt, the deal was sealed.
“I knew right away I wanted the job. I told them if they hired me, they could have Barbara too,” laughed Fred, certified by the United States Professional Tennis Association and the director of racquet sports at Oakmont Country Club in Corinth. “They hired us both and it’s meaningful and fun.”
Fred and Barbara were named 2021’s “Coaching Team of the Year.” Burt says he can readily see their passion for the sport. Their dedication to the children is apparent to him in their teaching.
“They work with athletes just starting out and others playing club level, with the same respect,” said Burt. “There are life lessons to come from participating in sports. With Fred and Barbara, our kids are building confidence, learning to take risks and finding real meaning.”
The Shlesinger family in May 2018 ready to celebrate Iliza’s wedding to (not pictured) Noah Galuten. The family has since grown to include Fred and Barbara’s first grandchildren, Ethan and Sierra Galuten.
The Shelton Chargers have succeeded on the courts with the 2024 varsity team sending nine students to the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) state championships. Students and parents alike are taking note of the achievements.
Kara and Jeff Prescott, whose son Joshua is on the team, sings the couple’s praises.
“The Shlesingers help each student grow regardless of talent and skill. Joshua had a positive experience and gained confidence which will translate to other aspects of his life,” said Kara. “He’s found a new appreciation for a team sport and met new friends. Because of their approach the team was stronger.”
Fred and Barbara have been impacting young people for as long as they’ve been together. They met in 1990 at a JCC singles mixer. He walked up to the bar and turned on his charm, but it was months before she relented and the two started dating.
Commuting between Dallas, where his children Iliza and Ben lived, and Stamford, Connecticut, where his job was based, Fred asked Barbara to join him on the East Coast. The question was popped; she said yes to the move and life together.
After five years away, the couple returned to Dallas and added Bradley and Emily to the family.
Fred and Barbara Shlesinger bookend members of the Shelton School varsity tennis team at the April 2024 TAPPS State Championships in Waco, Texas.
Their work at Shelton is not the first time the Shlesingers have teamed up professionally. For years they collaborated in their high-end menswear business, The Novia Collection, which was featured on Neiman Marcus’ holiday catalog cover. When casual Fridays became a thing in the workplace and suspenders, ties and suits were no longer the norm, they closed their doors and moved on — he as a financial advisor and she as a compliance and operations administrator at Weisberg & Fields investment advisory firm.
Members of Temple Emanu-El, the couple raised their family at Congregation Beth Torah, where they co-led “Joyful Noise” musical services. The Shlesingers taught Sunday School and hosted “Torah Time Theatre.” Barbara taught at Congregation Anshai Torah as well. Fred has served as master of ceremonies and auctioneer for organizations including the JCC, the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas and Ann & Nate Levine Academy. He led financial wellness and branding workshops at Jewish Family Service of Greater Dallas.
They have been longtime members of the JCC, for years participating in the tennis program; Fred coached basketball, served as league commissioner and coached the J’s 2008 Maccabi golf team, which earned 12 medals.
Family has always been central for the couple. Both lost their fathers early in life, but their mothers lived to ripe old ages.
Fred, the son of Benjamin and Thelma of blessed memory and the brother of three, is a native of Long Island, New York. “I’m everything I am because of my father,” he says. “He would light up a room and his comedy genes — he was the funniest person I ever met — passed through the generations.”
When Iliza appeared on PBS’ “Finding Your Roots” earlier this year, she and the family learned a lot.
“They got into the story of my grandmother Esther, who came to the States by herself,” said Fred. “The show found out about the five siblings she left in a Polish ghetto and you almost can’t believe it,” he said. “There were horrors and there was survival. There was so much I never knew, that we never talked about.”
Barbara, a Dallas native and the daughter of the late Sara and Bernard Shipper, is one of six children.
Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Barbara moved to Dallas as a teen. She attended Hillcrest High School and was a BBYO Jenny Schepps chapter member and former BBG District president. She graduated with degrees in special education and psychology from Washington University in St. Louis. She taught children with autism for a few years. Then she began a new career: Having appeared as a child in commercials for Shoney’s Big Boy and Zales, the former Kim Dawson Agency model and actress went to New York, worked in musical theater and did voice-over work.
Barbara’s previous experience teaching special needs students has given her a fulfilling opportunity at Shelton, which is geared to intelligent students with learning differences.
“It had been years since I’d worked in the field I’d studied; while I’m not in the classroom now, I’m using so much of what I learned,” she said. “Our athletes are great. They’re full of heart, they want to learn and they want to do well.”
Iliza — a standup comedian and actress — and her husband, Noah Galuten, have two children, Ethan and Sierra. Emily is a singer and songwriter under the name Emeryld; Ben works as a botanist; and Bradley is a tennis pro in Austin.
“Every day is a gift,” said Fred, “and whatever we’re doing together is better.”
