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Tennis Advocate of the Year: Robin Jones

By Robin Bateman

Robin Jones of Cary, N.C., is everyone’s dream volunteer and colleague. Her passion for helping to grow the game is rooted deep at the local level, and it branches out through many areas of the USTA and the industry.

“Robin is like a turbocharger in the development of the USTA’s advocacy program,” says Barry Ford, the USTA’s director of outreach and advocacy. “If she weren’t involved in our advocacy efforts, all the things we’ve been able to achieve would have taken much longer.” For all her efforts in spreading tennis across the country, Jones is RSI’s Tennis Advocate of the Year.

Jones was one of the original members of the Advocacy Task Force developed in 2007. Currently, she’s on the USTA National Advocacy Committee, chair of the USTA Southern Advocacy Task Force, chair of the USTA North Carolina Advocacy Committee, a facilities consultant for the USTA, a consultant for the USTA National Military Outreach, and the founding president of the Western Wake Tennis Association. She also has been instrumental in creating an advocacy handbook, “Establishing a Successful Advocacy Program.”

Working with communities around the country, Jones helps them renovate facilities and build or line courts for QuickStart Tennis. She’s also been a driving force behind the Military Outreach program. “The work I’ve done with USTA Military Outreach has been extremely rewarding,” she says. “Recently the kick-off of the Adopt-A-Unit program has really felt like hard work has paid off.”

Jones didn’t start playing tennis until she was 34. “I had an immediate passion and love for the sport, which led me to want to create more opportunities for others to play.”

Tips for success

• Volunteer for your local CTA — they always can use help organizing and coordinating programs, events and tournaments.
• If you don’t have a CTA, go to your local Parks and Recreation department.
• Help schoolchildren in your area to play tennis through the USTA’s Adopt-A-School program (usta.com/schools).
• Learn more about the USTA’s advocacy effort austa.com/thebigserve.

See all articles by Robin Bateman

About the Author

Robin Bateman is the site coordinator for the Tattnall Tennis Center in Macon, Ga., where she coordinates tennis program and leagues, is a tournament director, serves as a team captain, and assists junior teams competing at district, regional, and section events.

From the January 2011 issue
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