It’s safe to say that the Tennis culture in any community is formed entirely on a few central pillars; who facilitates, the environment you play in, and who plays. At any given time, any one of these pillars can appear to be less-than-ideal; timing or communication could be a hassle or the courts could be a mess, but there is one make-or-break element that really determines how your match will go… the players.
In every match you play, you have the opportunity to bring positivity, sportsmanship, and fun to the court. If you’ve been around the tennis scene in Austin for some time, you’ve undoubtedly come across one of those players; Stephanie Rodriguez. Stephanie is constantly bringing her A-game to everything she does, and has grown the game of tennis in more ways than one. As a lifelong player who is now Nationals Bound (!!!), she gives back to the sport by serving on USTA Leagues Committees, captaining teams, coaching a Junior Team Tennis team with Tennis Austin, and more. There’s so much more to her story and we hope you’re inspired by Stephanie’s dedication to the sport and her community.
“I was one of those kids who played just about every sport I could growing up, but softball, basketball, and tennis were the three that stuck with me through high school. I started playing tennis around age 10, and I went on to compete in high school and college. After that, I stepped away from the game for quite a few years. In 2015, I picked up a racket again—and I’ve been playing ever since. That’s the beauty of tennis—you can put the racket down for years, pick it back up, and the game is still there waiting for you.
Since picking tennis back up, I’ve gotten more involved in the game every year. What started with playing leagues and tournaments eventually led to captaining teams, serving on the USTA Leagues Committee, and being part of the Round Rock Tennis Association board. Along the way, I’ve had some pretty special experiences on the court too. Our 55+ mixed team won Sectionals this year and earned a trip to Nationals, and just this October, our Combo team won Sectionals too. I still love the competition, but I think what I enjoy most is just being part of the tennis community in so many different ways.
But one of my favorite parts of tennis now is coaching Junior Team Tennis. I probably get just as nervous watching my JTT kids walk onto the court as I do when I’m about to play my own match. It’s a different kind of nervous, though. I want them to have fun, challenge and believe in themselves, succeed, and most importantly, develop a love for the game. Watching their confidence grow and seeing them get excited about tennis is incredibly rewarding.
That’s also what I love about Tennis Austin. Tennis is obviously about competition, but it’s also about the people and the community. I’ve made some great friends through tennis and met people I never would have known otherwise. It’s a sport you can play for a lifetime, and there’s always another match, another team, another challenge, and another opportunity to get better.
I’ve been an educator for almost four decades—which is a little painful to actually say out loud! For the past four years, I’ve been an elementary PE coach, so I spend my days getting kids moving, trying new things, and hopefully finding activities they’ll enjoy for a lifetime. When the school day ends, that carries right over into tennis. Through JTT and other opportunities in my community, I try to reach as many kids as I can and share the game that has given me so much.
One of the coolest things has been watching that enthusiasm spread beyond the kids. I’ve had parents watch their kids start to fall in love with tennis, and now they’re starting to get the tennis itch themselves and want to get out there and learn to play. I love seeing tennis become something families can enjoy together. To me, that’s what growing the game is really about.
Tennis has given me competition, friendships, some great memories, and now the opportunity to pass that love of the game on to the next generation. I’m grateful to be part of the Tennis Austin community— and I’m nowhere near match point yet.”
Stephanie Rodriguez, coach and player
If you’re feeling inspired to give back to the sport that gives so much to you, there are countless ways to get involved! You can volunteer with Tennis Austin through the Tennis in Schools program or for office-hour admin work, Apply to coach a JTT team, or partner with us financially through our monthly giving program Love-All Society or through sponsorship or a one-time donation.