By Karen Ronney For 12-year-old Michael Monzón, stepping onto the baseball field at Petco Park during a live San Diego Padres game was almost too much to take in. The lights were as bright as daylight, and the stadium was packed. The roar of the crowd surrounded and stunned him. It was his first time
Are you a tennis coach interested in taking the next step toward certification? Well, there is a fantastic opportunity with USTA's Introduction to Coaching Workshop held on Saturday, August 22, from 1:00 pm to 4:30 pm at Barnes Tennis Center. Anyone can participate but it there is no cost to NJTL Coaches and High School
By Karen Ronney Calling all tennis friends to join the Southern California Tennis Association Foundation to celebrate an amazing book launch featuring tennis legend Charlie Pasarell. The book is called Serving First: Dreams Realized and Lessons Learned from Family, Friends, and a Life in Tennis, and this celebration will be held on August 19, 2026,
By Linda Milan and Karen Ronney Annette Buck was an incredibly generous tennis advocate, organizer, leader and friend. She was always willing to lend a helping hand. She did not seek the limelight, rather preferred to shine her love and attention on others. After years of devoting herself to the sport of tennis and its
By Karen Ronney For Ivan Thamma, tennis started off as a fun way to socialize with other kids at the City Heights Recreation Center in San Diego. Over a decade later, his life has come full circle and tennis has given him a foundation for a bright future… on and off the tennis court. Thamma,
By Karen Ronney Each year, many high school tennis programs struggle to provide proper equipment and updated training for their girls’ and boys’ teams. Coaches also are in need practice balls, rackets and coaching education. The Southern California Tennis Association Foundation recently stepped up to help this tennis community by sponsoring the RSPA San Diego
What a year of transformation for SCTA Foundation scholarship and grant recipients. We are happy to share good news of their tennis growth, education and overall development. This Giving Tuesday, your support can keep our momentum going strong so we can continue to impact lives and communities through the sport of tennis. In 2025, the
By Karen Ronney When it comes to identifying a need and finding solutions that will grow the next generation of wheelchair tennis players, T3 Tennis on Wheels has emerged at the top of the inclusive tennis heap. This nonprofit tennis organization is an adaptive sports program for kids ages 6 to 18 that offers the
By Karen Ronney It is summertime in Southern California, and let us face it, we live in one of the best places in the country to play tennis. There are a plethora of tennis courts, school is out for kids of all ages and camps are in session. Also, families have the freedom to hit
By Karen Ronney Phillip Kim’s life journey is one filled with passion, reinvention and community. Growing up in Foster City, California, he picked up a tennis racket at age 12, never realizing the sport would become a cornerstone of his life decades later. For his efforts, he received the Curt Condon Spirit Award by USTA
