Tennis has been a large part of my life since I first picked up a racquet at the age of 11 or 12. I was largely self-taught but there were many generous adults who gave of their time to play with me and offer helpful tips. I played high school tennis in the Atlanta area and when I arrived at Georgia Southern College (now University) prior to Title IX there were no teams for women. I was part of a group of dedicated tennis players who lobbied the school for a women’s tennis team. We did our own fundraising to pay expenses for entry to tournaments. Of course, there were no scholarships at that time but we gladly paid our own way to compete. I really think the more personal investment one puts into the game of tennis the more one gets out of it.

As the wife of an Air Force pilot that made quite a few household moves in the States as well as overseas, tennis was my connection to the local community. I taught tennis to wives groups in Germany and I introduced tennis to the youth in each area of the country we lived. Prior to moving to the Lowcountry I developed a youth tennis team in Fairfax, Virginia that grew from about 50 players to over 200. Since moving to Mt Pleasant in 2004, I have focused on competing in USTA national age group tournaments and volunteering on USTA South Carolina, Southern, and National committees in the adult competition arena. I also captain the South Carolina Southern Senior Cup and Southern Intersectional women’s teams.

I would hope to encourage our youth by example to get involved in a lifetime sport for many character and health related reasons. The lessons learned through our game can open doors for a lifetime!