In the heart of Charles City County, Virginia, an initiative is making waves. QuickStart Children of VA (QCV), a nonprofit dedicated to introducing tennis and literacy to young children, has expanded its impact with the support of a USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation’s Community Engagement Grant. This grant has helped provide essential tennis equipment to preschoolers in Charles City, ensuring that the joy of play and learning go hand in hand.
A Vision for Change
Lynda Harrill, the founder of QuickStart Children of VA, has been on a mission since 2009 to promote QuickStart Tennis (now called Red Ball Tennis) format in underserved rural areas. “We trained about 2,000 people to use the QuickStart (Red Ball) format and we ended up taking tennis to 252 schools and 117,000 kids,” Harrill shared.
But it’s not just about tennis—it’s about the holistic development of children. Recognizing the link between literacy and long-term success, QCV launched the “Racquets for Reading!!!” initiative, which provides books to young children in an effort to build home libraries and encourage early literacy.
Bringing Tennis and Books to Charles City
The USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation’s Community Engagement Grant provided $1,300 to help outfit Charles City Elementary School’s preschool classrooms with age-appropriate tennis equipment.
After moving from Charlottesville to Williamsburg, Va., Harrill learned schools around Charles City County had one of the lowest reading scores in the state. She visited Charles City Elementary to talk to the librarian and also learned they had no budget for books. From there, she knew Charles City was next on the list.
“We started off with the Bright Stars-Tennis for Me, which is a program we do for pre-K kids,” said Harrill. And then we got into Racquets for Reading, and the grant helped us with funding the tennis equipment,” Harrill explained.
Each preschool classroom received a 19-inch racquet, red foam balls, a 10-foot portable net, and traffic cones—giving children access to structured play that enhances both motor skills and social development. “The minute the kids hear ‘tennis,’ they start jumping up and down,” Harrill said.
From Tennis to Literacy: A Winning Combination
The program isn’t just about athletic skills; it’s about creating well-rounded, confident kids. QCV worked tirelessly to bring books and tennis into these children’s lives. Through Racquets for Reading!!!, preschoolers and kindergartners receive between 8 and 12 books per year to build their home libraries, helping them develop essential pre-reading skills.
Harrill has seen firsthand the impact of this initiative. “I was reading to the kids at a pumpkin day event, and I held up a leaf from my yard labeled ‘Viburnum.’ A four-year-old looked up at me and said, ‘What’s viburnum?’ She had sounded it out herself. That’s why we (QCV) do this,” she recalled.
Why It Matters
The USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation’s Community Engagement Grant awarded to QuickStart Children of VA is more than just funding—it’s about providing a foundation for lifelong learning and physical activity. “Tennis players are the best role models out of all the athletes, and I think that’s who we need to promote with kids,” Harrill emphasized.
For Charles City’s youngest learners, the partnership between QCV and USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation isn’t just creating opportunities—it’s changing futures. Whether it’s the thrill of hitting their first tennis ball or the joy of reading their first book, these children are swinging towards a brighter tomorrow.When you make a gift to USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation, you are directly supporting organizations like Quickstart Children of Virginia, to continue making a positive difference in our tennis communities.
Spring is nearly here, and with it comes the highly anticipated 2025 VHSL Tennis Championships! Schools across Virginia are gearing up for what promises to be a thrilling season. Last year’s champions, like Langley, who took home both the boys’ and girls’ team titles in Class 6, and Broad Run, who dominated the Class 4 Girls Championship by claiming all three titles, have set the bar high. But with fresh faces and new rivalries, the stakes are higher than ever!
Could sibling power be the secret to success? Last year, the Rotaru sisters, Izzy and Lexi, stole the show in Class 4, taking the doubles title for Broad Run in a commanding 6-2, 6-3 win over E.C. Glass’s Tovia Carothers and Mary Kennedy. Will more sibling duos rise to the occasion this year and make their mark on the court?
As always, each season brings new challenges—seniors graduating, rookies stepping up, and coaches scrambling to find the perfect lineup. With the first matches kicking off in mid-March, the 2025 spring tennis season is already shaping up to be one for the books!
Boys Divisions
Langley took the Class 6 Team Bracket, while Deep Run’s Zach Fleishman took the Class 6 singles and doubles title with Grant Kroodsma.
In Class 5, Riverside claimed the team title against Frank Cox. Riverside’s Ricky Hota and Aarush Rajanala also defeated Neil Banga and Sam Dixon from Frank Cox to claim the doubles title. For the singles title, Matthew Onoff from Menchville defeated Neil Vanga from Frank Cox without dropping a game, 6-0, 6-0.
Charlottesville won the Class 4 team title. Drew Perez took the singles title and Cole Lafors and Izaak Brown took the doubles title, 6-0, 6-3.
Western Albemarle took the team title for Class 3. However, Graton’s Rainer Christiansen took the singles and doubles title with his partner, John Lee.
Finally, Bruton took the Class 2 Boys Team Bracket with Christoph Scweitzer and Max De Winter taking home the doubles title. Jack Clem from Richlands took home the single title.
Girls Divisions
In Class 6, Langley took home the team title. In addition to the team title, Arakal Henryson Gibbs and Zosia Henryson Gibbs also took home the doubles title for Langley. Marianna Primatova from Fairfax took home the singles title.
Douglas Freeman secured the Class 5 Girls Team Bracket. Ana Maria Rincon from Patrick Henry claimed the singles title while Maddie Tran and Mariana Tan Li from Riverside secured the doubles title.
Broad Run secured all three championship titles for Class 4 Girls Championships. Lexi Rotaru secured the singles title and the doubles title with Izzy Rotaru.
For Class 3, Maggie Walker claimed the team title. They also secured the doubles title thanks to Martina Ribera and Ella Wiatt. Blythe Sturman from Western Albemarle won the singles title.
Marion Senior won two titles during the Class 2 championships. They won the team title, and Parker White won the singles title. Radford’s Lydia Pratt and Claire Fender secured the doubles title.
In Class 1 action, Rappahannock secured all three titles. Sadie Packett won the singles title in straight sets against Addy bays from Twin Springs. Laney Williams and Maggie Wonderling secured the doubles title for Rappahannock.
What to Expect This Year
The 2025 VHSL Tennis Championships promise to be an action-packed event full of intense rivalries, breakout performances, and unforgettable moments. With a mix of returning champions, hungry challengers, and fresh talent, the road to victory will be more thrilling than ever. Stay tuned—this is one season you won’t want to miss!
It’s a beautiful sun-soaked day in Washington, D.C. as a group of students standing by a tennis court, laugh, cheer, and figure it out together. Some holding a racquet for the very first time.
No pressure to be perfect. No need to be a star athlete. Just show up, try something new, and find your people.
This is the story of Howard University’s club tennis team, a growing community built on one simple, powerful idea: tennis is for everyone.
Gjianni White didn’t expect tennis to change her life.
“I ran track for most of my life,” she recalls. “I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t my passion. I wanted to try something different.”
So, one day in high school, she picked up a racquet. She didn’t know the rules. She wasn’t chasing trophies. She just wanted to play. And what she found was more than a sport. She found joy.
Fast forward to her first year at Howard University, White wanted to keep that feeling alive, but something was missing. There wasn’t a space for students who simply wanted to gather, hit a few balls, and connect. So, with the support of Howard’s head tennis coach, she and a few others built what they couldn’t find: a club, a community, and a home for tennis lovers and curious beginners alike.
“We just wanted to create an intentional space for Howard students to come together and play tennis,” White says.
But what started as a casual gathering soon became something much more.
If you walk onto Howard’s courts on a Friday night, you’ll see it: the magic of what they’ve created.
“We call it Tennis Under the Stars,” White says with a smile. “We play games like Tug-of-War and King of the Court. We meet, we laugh, we let go of the week.”
It’s not just about forehands and footwork. It’s about showing up after classes, after stress, after long days, and finding a place where you belong.
Some days, they drill serves and work on their volleys. Other times, they gather off the court to volunteer in the community or simply hang out. The goal is always the same: connection.
But something else began to stir among those Friday night rallies and sunlit matches. A dream.
What if this club could be a team? What if they could represent Howard on the court, competing against other schools in the Mid-Atlantic region? What if the community they built could grow into something even bigger?
In the 2024-25 school year, that dream became a reality. They held tryouts and traveled to the Fall Invitational at the University of Maryland, Howard’s first competitive club tennis tournament.
Now, the team is reaching its next milestone: competing in the 2025 Tennis On Campus Sectional Championships, which will be hosted by the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation on Oct. 10-11 at the Montgomery TennisPlex in Boyds, Md.
But dreams, like tennis, require more than just heart. They need support.
“We’re working on securing funding to sign up for tournaments and qualify for the championships,” White explains. “We’ve applied for support through the school, but we’re also looking to build partnerships in the local D.C. area.”
Howard’s club tennis team is growing. But their story is still being written. Right now, they need help with travel expenses, tournament fees, and everything that goes into competing at this level.
It’s not just about funding a tennis team. It’s about investing in a space where students can show up as they are, pick up a racquet—maybe for the first time—and know they belong.
Because this is what sport can be, what community can feel like. This is tennis, open to all.
This month is Black History Month. In the Mid-Atlantic Region, there are 11 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) including one of the first HBCU’s in the United States, the University of District of Columbia in Washington DC. These institutions were established before 1964 to provide black Americans an opportunity to receive a college education.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, HBCUs are defined as, “Any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of Black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary [of Education] to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation.”
Out of the 11 HBCUs in the Mid-Atlantic region, nine institutions have a men’s and/or women’s tennis program. If you are looking for an HBCU with a college tennis program, take a look at this list.
The Mid-Atlantic tennis community is filled with inspiring individuals and organizations making a profound impact on the sport. Each year, USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation celebrates these tennis champions through our Annual Awards program, recognizing those who go above and beyond to grow and enhance the game in the region.
In 2024, we continue to honor individuals and community providers who embody our core values of Community, Character, and Well-being as part of the “USTA Mid-Atlantic Creates” theme. Their dedication is shaping the future of tennis, and their contributions to the sport have touched countless lives across the region.
This year, many nominations were submitted, each showcasing remarkable stories of leadership, passion, and commitment. After a thorough selection process, USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation proudly introduces the 2024 Mid-Atlantic Creates Award winners, individuals and organizations whose positive influence extends far beyond the court.
On a crisp fall afternoon in Richmond, Virginia, the red clay court hums with the sounds of tennis balls and laughter. Among the cheers of parents and volunteers, one coach stands at the center, rallying the players with his characteristic energy and warmth. Gordon Macgill, who once spent decades climbing the corporate ladder, now spends his days doing what he loves most—teaching tennis and transforming lives. This year, Gordon will be one of the recipients of the Tennis Creates Award for Coach of the Year.
Love at First Swing: A Lifelong Tennis Journey
Gordon’s relationship with tennis began unconventionally. Growing up in a small town in Southwest Virginia, he and his brothers would grab racquetball rackets and hit whatever ball they could find. Fortunately, a tennis court sat just down the street, where he began private lessons. “It was almost like having a court in my backyard,” Gordon recalls. “My first real racket was a Head Arthur Ashe Composition, and I still remember wearing my Lacoste polo shirt, trying to emulate my heroes.”
When Gordon’s family relocated to Richmond, tennis became more than a pastime—it became part of his identity. He played through middle and high school, winning a state title with Douglas Freeman High School. At Hampden-Sydney College, Gordon captained his team for two years, and after graduation, he continued competing in USTA leagues, even earning a spot at Nationals in Tucson, Arizona.
But despite a lifetime immersed in the game, tennis was a passion Gordon didn’t fully realize would define his life until later. For over 25 years, Gordon pursued a career in the corporate world, working at Capital One. Yet, a voice inside him kept whispering—what if he dedicated his life to tennis and the communities he cared about?
A Leap of Faith: From Corporate Life to Coaching
In 2019, that whisper became a calling. Gordon, with the unwavering support of his wife, Andrea, boldly decided to leave behind a stable corporate career to follow his dream of teaching tennis. “It was a leap of faith,” Gordon admits. “But I knew I needed to reinvent myself—and tennis was the way to do it.”
During this transition, Gordon found a new passion—working with children and adults on the autism spectrum. His path crossed with Love Serving Autism (LSA), a non-profit that combines therapeutic racquet sports instruction with social and emotional development. Gordon saw an opportunity to blend his love of tennis with his desire to serve others, and in 2021, he launched the Richmond chapter of LSA, holding clinics on a private red clay court.
What started as a small, grassroots effort quickly blossomed into something remarkable. Word spread throughout the community and players and volunteers flocked to Gordon’s clinics, eager to be part of something special. “The first time I ran an LSA clinic on that red clay court, it felt like magic,” Gordon recalls. “Parents stayed to cheer their kids on, which became this incredible family atmosphere.”
More Than a Coach: Changing Lives On and Off the Court
Gordon’s coaching philosophy is simple yet profound: tennis should be fun and inclusive. Whether working with beginners or competitive players, Gordon builds relationships and fosters personal growth. “It’s not just about tennis,” he explains. “It’s about creating a positive environment where every player feels valued, no matter their level.”
His impact is evident in the lives he’s touched. One of his players, who started tennis through Gordon’s clinic, recently won a medal in the Special Olympics—a moment Gordon treasures. “To see how far they’ve come, both on the court and in life, is why I do this,” he says.
Gordon’s coaching goes far beyond the clinics. He sends personal videos to students, attends their school matches, and checks in with parents. One former baseball player, inspired by Gordon’s guidance, transitioned to tennis, played for his university’s team, and eventually became a coach. “It’s moments like these that remind me I’m right where I need to be,” Gordon reflects.
His work with LSA has also created ripples throughout the community. Volunteers—former players and local tennis enthusiasts—have become part of his mission, helping at clinics and building friendships with participants. “It’s a village we’ve created, and it’s something extraordinary,” Gordon says.
A Champion of Inclusion and Growth
At the core of everything Gordon does is the belief that tennis is for everyone. “One of the biggest challenges in the autism community is finding social activities that get kids off the sofa and into the world,” Gordon explains. His adaptive clinics teach tennis skills and promote character development and emotional well-being. “We talk about our emotions, and at the end of every session, we have a big group cheer. It’s not just about tennis—it’s about connection.”
In addition to his work with LSA, Gordon was is an assistant coach for the Douglas Freeman Girls Tennis Team, helping guide them to back-to-back state titles in 2022 and 2023. His ability to coach players of all levels—from kids just starting to competitive high school athletes—reflects his versatility and dedication.
“He brings out the best in everyone,” one parent shares. “He coached my daughter, who struggled with anxiety, and through his patience and kindness, she not only improved her game but also found her confidence.”
The Heart of a Servant, the Spirit of a Coach
For Gordon, coaching tennis is more than a career—it’s a calling. “My serve has always been my greatest weapon on the court,” Gordon says with a smile, “but now, serving others is my greatest passion.”
Gordon’s journey from the corporate world to the tennis court is a testament to the power of following your heart. His ability to inspire, teach, and build community is why he is a deserving recipient of the USTA Mid-Atlantic Coach of the Year Award.Through every lesson, clinic, and conversation, Gordon Macgill proves that tennis is more than a game—it’s a way to connect, grow, and uplift others. As he reflects on his journey, Gordon shares a final thought: “Tennis forces you to constantly problem-solve and self-motivate—skills everyone can benefit from, on or off the court. And at the end of the day, it’s not about winning matches—it’s about spreading joy through the game I love.”
With Gordon at the helm, the future of tennis in Richmond—and beyond—is brighter, more inclusive, and filled with possibility. His commitment and leap of faith are why he’s not just a coach—he’s a changemaker, a mentor, and a beacon of hope. And that is why he truly deserves to be named Coach of the Year.
Congratulations to all the 2024 USTA Mid-Atlantic award winners! Gordon will be awarded, along with the other honorees, at the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation 2nd Annual Tennis Creates Gala, presented by OneLife Fitness, on December 7, 2024. Join us in celebrating their remarkable contributions to the tennis community. Tickets are on sale now—don’t miss out! Tickets can be purchased here.
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