Alumni
Tyronda Starks: "Through Tennis Lives are Changed”
Now a senior at Clark Atlanta University, Starks recalls
many memories playing tennis at the Hunters Point courts. She began playing
tennis as a 5 year old, when a neighbor who worked as an instructor for YTA,
Antonie, asked if she wanted to play tennis. Since then, she “never put the
racket down.” Growing up, tennis was her
sport of choice, she surrounded herself with people who encouraged and
motivated her to continue her pursuit.
Some of these people were the tennis coaches at YTA. Coach Thomas White,
Stark’s instructor in the later years, became a father figure in her life. She
explains that “Coach White made sure that we took advantage of opportunities.”
Starks
recalled many fond memories of YTA. One of her best memories while in the
program was delivering a speech at Stanford University in front of everyone
from the different sites of YTA. Starks also recalled a time when YTA sponsored
her and other participants on a trip to Boise, Idaho to meet one of the
instructors that taught Andre Agassi. This trip challenged her in many
ways. Having diabetes, Starks often
times needs to be aware of her blood sugar level. While on the trip, she ate
something that boosted her level. As a result, the coach told Starks she cannot
play in the mini tennis tournament. Stark said, “I got mad that I could not
play because that is what I do, I play tennis.” She was determined to play in
the tournament. She jogged until her numbers went down. The coach tested her
blood sugar level, and when it returned to normal, she was allowed to play. It was a challenge for Starks because she did
not want to let her condition prevent her from doing what she loves, tennis. Instead,
she got frustrated, but the frustration turns into determination as she did
what she could to get her blood sugar level down.
For Starks, tennis continues to be an important part of her
life. As a college student, she plays for Clark Atlanta University’s tennis
team. Currently, she is majoring in
Business Administration and hopes to become a sports manager after graduation.
Starks explains that after graduation, she will still be involved with tennis
because “tennis is my expertise.” Her
main focus will be on opening up her own non-profit organization in tennis in
the Atlanta area and becoming a coach at Clark Atlanta. Starks believes that it is important to give
back, especially to young children. She
said, “When you give back to young children, they will remember and when they
remember that, they will give back.”
Rosal Casals: A San Francisco Gem
Just about any tennis fan 40 or more years old will recall the 1970s, as one of the most exciting and defining moments in professional and recreational tennis. Even Elton John recorded a song about tennis which became a pop hit. And, the tennis explosion as it were, seemed to inspire just about anybody with basic physical ability, to visit local parks and join clubs for the purpose of learning, playing or socializing tennis. And, the only time when people weren’t actively playing it, was when they were huddled around a television set watching the pros compete. Rosie Casals, or Rosebud, as she was often referred for her petite stature, seemed to stand tall among many of the other big name pros of her day. Not only because of her tenacious and competitive spirit, and not just because of the important role model she represented to emerging girls and women athletes, but also for having began her tennis career in San Francisco, and for developing through a program she valued which eventually became Youth Tennis Advantage (YTA).
Try to imagine this distant 70s era without Rosie Casals, and you’d be hard pressed to find a more vibrant, tenacious, and skilled professional woman tennis player packed into one petite 5’2” frame. But Rosie really did personify this period by earning a place as one of world’s top 10 women’s tennis players for 11 years, and from 1968-1982 winning close to 600 matches in this time.
Aside from the professional tennis star Casals is known for, few knew that she began playing tennis in San Francisco Golden Gate Park as child.
“I was about eight years old when I would go out with my dad who played social weekend tennis at the park or just hitting against the wall and he’s the one who got me started,” Casals said. “There was a Whiteman Cup group that was active there and who was helpful to me, as well as the ‘Friends of Golden Gate Park’ and James B. Moffitt who all played with me.”
Casals explained that while she was just learning to play and coming into her own as a talented recreational tennis player, she became aware of the Youth Tennis Federation, which was the genesis of the current YTA.
” I was fortunate at the time, we had a lot of great tournament players and I was very fortunate to have come from a public park that had a lot of history with the tennis players who’d played there like Bill Johnson, Maureen Conway and Bill Tilden.”
The Youth Tennis Federation, a significant resource that worked with the public parks to bring tennis to underprivileged children when Casals was a youngster, has gone through various iterations before becoming the YTA we know now. With a published book to her credit and an organization in place that she oversees, Casals is involved and committed to working with YTA’s fundraising efforts to insure children of all socioeconomic levels can participate in the sport if they wish despite the escalating costs associated with tennis.
“Tennis is costly nowadays, just entering tournaments is expensive and many things that should be available are not and there are not enough free programs available, but kids shouldn’t suffer because they can’t afford coaching or academies” Casals commented. “Too often these kids fall through the cracks because the lack of programs, but through YTAs fundraising events like Esurance and other types of programs that raise funds, especially where pros can help, this will make the difference, I’ll see what I can do to help.”
