February 10, 2025 • 28 mins
Beth was hired as a consultant for USTA Mid-Atlantic Section USTA MAS in August 2014 to strategically guide the organization through a number of complex operational transformations. Beths understanding of strategy, workforce planning, and business needs resulted in rapid and successful growth for USTA Mid-Atlantic Section and in January 2017 she joined the USTA MAS team as chief operating officer.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
M and T Bank preson CEOs. You should know power
ad by iHeart media.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
Let's be best to me. She is the COOO for
the USTA mid Atlantic Foundation, a nonprofit organization that covers
the DMV in southern West Virginia, committed to promoting tennis
and its physical, social, and emotional health benefits. They envision
a community where tennis is accessible and available for all
people to play. Before we talk more about best nonprofit
(00:26):
and all the incredible things they are doing for the
world of tennis, I first asked her to talk a
little bit about herself, where she's from and her origin story.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Well, that's always a fun question.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
People that know me when I'm asked that, they always
kind of chuckle to see what my answer is going
to be.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
I actually moved around a lot when I was growing up.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
I went to different schools for first grade, second grade,
third grade, fourth grade.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I went to two high schools.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
I went to two colleges, And while I don't think
my parents really intended for that to be a proof
of concept and adaptability, it definitely shaped too I am today.
I often use that in professional settings now and adjust
my answer to that given the context of the conversation
(01:10):
or who I'm talking to. So it's come in quite
andy over time, and I really feel that it made
me very much who I am today. We had a
very tight nuclear family because of it. I'm very resilient
comfortable with change. I really look at change from an
optimistic and exciting perspective, not one based in fear.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
And I'm really good at building relationships very quickly. I
had to.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
I had to rely on those that social emotional skill
pretty early on, and so I have really leaned into
all that that brought me.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
I do often joke though, or my family does that.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
The only real negative is is my struggle with picking
a sports team because I have rooted for so many
different throughout my life. But the Commander has definitely made
that easier this season. Yeah, for sure, to solidify them
as my NFL team for sure.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Well great, Well where'd you go to school? Because I
know you played sports?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
I did. I went to as I said, I went
to to colleges, actually went to I started off at
Gettysburg College and played lacrosse their and I finished at
Towson State, which is now I believe Towson University.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
I studied political science.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
What do you want to do going on to school.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
You know, I went on pretty quickly, ironically, given my
background of change, I went on pretty quickly to get
my master's in organizational development, which is really facilitating organizations
through change.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
And I don't know that it was a deliberate choice
on my end.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
But like I said, I think I had that capacity
and that interest in helping facilitate that for others.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
So I went into that.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
And knew right along, right away that I wanted to
be in a consulting capacity and didn't want to go
into one specific organization.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
I started off that way.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
But then I had an exposure in a consulting capacity.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
So as I established in the opening your CEO for
the USTA mid Atlantic Foundation that covers the DMV and
also some of southern West Virginia, you have an extensive resumes.
Especially there's a huge sports background in your family, with
you and your husband and I'm sure just the entire
family and obviously big fans too, and all the moving
around and picking sports teams. With that said, I can
(03:35):
see why the ust was USTA was interested in you.
Why were you interested in joining them?
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Well, when I came into the organization, I came in
as a consultant. They were going through a pretty significant
structural change. They had hired a new CEO at the time,
and she brought me on about three weeks into her
role really to facilitate going from state led model to
more of a regional one, and I was overseeing that process.
(04:05):
She and I worked so well together, had an immediate
level of trust and respect for one another, and that
work led me.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
For a couple of years in a consulting capacity there.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
But it was soon very clear that they had some
incredible initiatives coming down on a charge from the staff
and really transitioning into a charitable organization, merging with their
foundation and becoming a five to one C three as
well as a long term plan to build a regional
(04:36):
tennis facility. And so it was the perfect opportunity really
to marry my business acumen and experience with my passion
and love for sport. I've been exposed to it my
whole life. I was a multi sport athlete through high school.
I have four sons that are very active into sports.
Like you said, I married a professional lacrosse player, so
(05:00):
it's been very much a north star in my life.
I understand the incredible impact on an individual, a family, community,
and so the chance to really do that on a
day to day basis from a professional standpoint was extremely
appealing and it's exciting to me.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Well, very good, so, Beth.
Speaker 5 (05:20):
Before we get into everything that USTA Midland Foundation does,
what's the mission?
Speaker 4 (05:27):
Our mission statement is the ust and mid Atlantic Foundation
champions tenants for healthier lives and communities, making the sport
accessible to all in the mid Atlantic.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
We recently changed that.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
The last couple of years, it used to be to
develop and grow the game of tennis, and we felt
that that was a little self serving and we do
more than just offer tennis programs. We wanted to really
make it clear in our mission statement that we were
here to help people in the mid Atlantic and really
(06:02):
change their lives from a health and wellness perspective.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
You know, that makes a lot of sense, and I'm
glad that you address that, because, folks, once you get
on the website that we're going to give a couple
times during the interview, it is incredible how much Beth
and her team do. It's really amazing, from junior tennis
players and young people to adults and the new facility
and all the different things they do. I think you're
going to be a little bit surprised during the center
of about how much they actually execute when it comes
(06:25):
to the world of tennis.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
So with that said, if somebody was being introduced.
Speaker 5 (06:29):
Beth in this interview for the first time to USTA
Mid Atlantic Foundation, what would you tell them in giving
that thirty thousand foot view, what would you tell them
that you do.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Well?
Speaker 4 (06:40):
In simple terms, we're a nonprofit that services the physical, social, emotional,
and mental health and wellness of people in the Mid
Atlantic by providing access an opportunity to play tennis.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
As you said, we really.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Operate as the hub of the tennis ecosystem, focusing on
the coaches and the players and the facilities and providers
everything from youth introduction to play and junior player development
to adult recreation and competitive play. We make sure that
people in this region have opportunities and access to the
(07:18):
sport at every stage of their life.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
And every level of the game.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Beyond that, we really are we have transitioned quite strongly
in the last couple of years to really focus around
our mission and the philanthropic strategy that we have, so
we really expand beyond just those basic play opportunities, and
we provide funding and resources to community tennis providers. We
(07:47):
provide financial support to help revitalize and refurbish courts that
really act as a central point in a community. We
offer junior scholarships to those that are exposed to the
sport the very first time or those that want to
extend their tennis journey from a competitive standpoint, and we.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Even go into schools.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
We provide equipment, training and coaching to the pe teachers.
That is the best way to meet children where they are.
Tennis is the healthiest sport. It can add up to
ten years of your life. So in the simplest of terms,
we are committed to removing these barriers so that everyone
(08:30):
can take advantage of these life changing opportunities through tennis.
Speaker 5 (08:34):
Well, I love that, and that's a great segue about
funding as a nonprofit. How are you funded?
Speaker 4 (08:40):
We are funded multiple different ways. We do have revenue
generating programs. That's our Adult league program. That is our
primary revenue generating program. It's quite expansive. They're thirty thousand
members in the Mid Atlantic region, and we are also
funding We are a member of USTA now and so
(09:01):
there is grant funding associated with that.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Their primary product is the US Open.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
The US Open is the largest Grand Slam in the world.
So they then feed their funding through the grassroots organizations
like the Mid Atlantic Foundation, so that we can really
affect grassroot changes, and then we have an ever growing
(09:28):
portion of funding coming from our philanthropic efforts. We've done
a lot of work over that over the last couple
of years to really educate and make the public aware
of who we are and the impact that we make,
and so we've seen that support grow and grow, from
individual giving to foundation support to corporate sponsorship. We had
(09:49):
a gala the last couple of years that I can
go into if you want. That has been a great
source of revenue for US, and it has really helped
solid a that the people get it. They know the
impact of this sport, and they want to ensure that
future generations have the opportunities that they have. So it's
(10:10):
multiple sources, but we very much rely on our donors
to continue to expand our programming opportunities that we can
provide to the community in the Mid Atlantic.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Well, let's expound on that, because the gala it kind
of reputation precedes itself.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
It's a really big deal. Can you tell people about it?
Speaker 4 (10:32):
So last year was our opportunity to have our first gallon.
It was we were celebrating our one hundred year as
an organization and we thought, gosh, what better way to
do that than to have post this galon And we
had it in DC and it was an extraordinary evening.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
We raised almost half a million dollars.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
People came out and droves really to celebrate the history
of the sport and to really honor this prolific rea.
We have produced a lot of great talented professional players
from the mid Atlantic, and so.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
It was really a night of celebration.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
We loved it so much that we did it again
this year, but really had reimagined it to really focus
and hone in on not celebrating the past, but how
do we ensure a long term term sustainability and how
do we continue to focus on the programs of impact
and the change that we make in people's lives through
(11:35):
access to tennis. And even blew the numbers away from
last year, so people are hearing it.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
It's resonating.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
They understand the impact of the sport and they are
helping support those efforts.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
So one of the things you talked about a little
bit earlier is basically getting boots on the ground and
ingraining yourself in the schools with young people, and that's
how you do any sport. I think that people know
that there is a reason why the rest of the
world is so far ahead of us when it comes
to soccer is because they start playing soccer before they
can even walk. Everywhere in the United States, we're getting there,
(12:09):
and as you can see the women's national team and
the men's national teams starting to exponentially get better. That
has to do with two things, starting young and coaching.
And that's where I'd like to go with you on
coaching because I know that's a big deal and it's
on the website, and we'll talk about that again about
how to go to the website check out all.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
The cool things that you can look.
Speaker 5 (12:26):
But can you talk a little bit about coaching and
getting the coaches organized with young people, because I know
that's paramount, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
Well, I think that's one of our significant challenges.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
But I think we're not alone in that.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
I think every youth sport across the country is struggling
in that. It's one of the reasons why we go
into the schools with the Pea curriculum. It's known that
if you introduce sport at a young age, they are
likely to come back to it periodically throughout their life.
(12:59):
It also entered this is an incredible opportunity for character
building that they take way beyond the tennis court. So
it's one of the reasons we go to schools. We
are definitely challenged with coaches. One of the reasons that
we want to build this mid Atlantic campus is because
of we want it to be a hub where coaches
(13:19):
are coming in for that training and support and the resources,
and then they are taking it back out throughout the region.
We don't want the opportunities to stay there. We want
this to be a real learning campus where people can
learn the best in the brightest, learn from the best
(13:41):
in the brightest, and really be able to share that
with their specific communities.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
So we're focused on training retaining more diverse coaches.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
It's really critically important that we have a diverse representation.
We're serving the mid Atlantic as one of the most
diverse regions in the country, and so it's really critically
and that we have a diverse coaching staff and talented
coaches that represent that the players and participants that they're serving.
You know, we all know that your first introduction to
(14:12):
a sport the coaches the one factor yeah that you
either stay with it because that experience was so positive,
or you won't have nothing to do with it. So
that first round of interaction with the sport from the
coach is critically important. So we work a lot with
our national governing body to ensure that there is support
(14:34):
and resources for coaches throughout the country.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Love that thanks for going into that. I really appreciate it.
We mentioned the new facility a few times and if
anybody has been a part of building anything, whether you're
a medium, small, large business or a sports team or
sports facility, it's herculean and it costs a lot of money.
It takes a lot of time and a lot of planning.
Where are we with everything, Beth, and tell us all
(14:58):
about it, because I know it's pretty excited stuff.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
It's so exciting, But I do appreciate your understanding that this.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
Is maybe simple, not easy. It has been years in
the making. We had identified the need for this year
years ago and had put the.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Steps in motion to ensure that this would come into
being are We just got the land rezoned in Louden County.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
It's very exciting. We've recently revised the.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Concept so currently it has twenty one outdoor tennis courts
hard courts with one stadium thirty five seat stadium with
an additional five clay courts outdoors.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Then we have ten indoor courts. We are introducing pickleball.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
We believe fervently that it's an additive and not a.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Detractor from tennis.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
It is a tennis first facility, but we want the
opportunity for multi sports, multi pas back at sports to
come in and be exposed to you know, to tennis
right in front of them. So there are eight outdoor
pickleball courts and there are two pedel courts. Padel as
a very fast rising sport in Europe and so we
(16:17):
wanted to be able to provide a little bit of
a multi racket opportunity.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
So we're really excited about it. But it is a
large project, you know.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
Right now we're looking for partners who really share in
our mission and want to be a part of this
landmark facility. It will serve us generations to come. We
have a lot of attention on the project. It's the
first in the country from a regional USTA organization and
(16:45):
so there are a lot of eyes on it. It
will very much service as a model that we can
replicate throughout the country to really handle.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
The infrastructure needs that we have.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
We want to get to thirty five million players by
twenty thirty five. We have a very significant charge from
our national governing body, and so the way that you
need to do that is address multiple things, but one
of the significant components of that is infrastructure. And so
if we can craft a model that can serve as
(17:21):
proof of concept of how to do this to where
you have programming, you have events, you have training, you
have coaches, you have programming for underserved youth, that this
can service multiple programs, every age group and really be
(17:42):
something that's transformative to this region, expanding the access to tennis,
but expanding the quality of life of individuals in the
Mid Atlantic.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
It's very exciting, it sure is, and it's just epic, folks,
And I didn't realize how big the facility is indoor
and outdoor. It's really it's unbelievable. What you're going to
have wanted done. When When is exactly? And I know
that you know, maybe you don't want to put a
timeline on it, but is there an estimate about when
the project could be finished?
Speaker 4 (18:10):
Well right now, As I said, we're actively looking for
some partners to ensure from the funding side, but this
is going to happen.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
We're so excited about it.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
It's critically important as an amenity to this region, and
so we're hoping to open the doors either late twenty
twenty seven or.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Beginning of twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
Okay, so it's right around the corner. It's not far away, No,
it's not far no. And so we're in active you know,
funding stage, but also need to plan for operations of it.
You know, the fascinating part about our organization is that
we have this incredible grassroots connection to our community, but
(18:55):
we have the access to a national organization brings with
it an incredible amount of technical resources and support that
can ensure this front. We're trying to future proof this
as much as possible so that it is a viable
campus for a multitude of purposes. You know, how incredible
(19:16):
would that be for a young player to see a
pro level event right in their backyard.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
I agree.
Speaker 4 (19:24):
Now they don't have to, it's just it will change
their lives. You know, you need to bring it to
them and then provide the opportunity for them to get
the training and the programming right there.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
You know, we want to have an after.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
School program where it's focused on career readiness, financial literacy,
you know, components that are support the athletic endeavors with
an academic focus, and also just that social emotional learning
which is just really and critically important to our youth.
So it will really be a full service facility and
(20:03):
it's gonna be best in class. It's gonna be beautiful.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Yeah, I'm so excited for you guys. I know there's
a lot more to come, and the funding as well too.
But I mean, imagine, you know, we live in the
DMV here, and when you're a sports fan, you have
your facility. Capital one is getting a complete redo over
the next three years, and then the commanders are going
to build a new stadium somewhere. I mean, to live
in the DMV here is like freaking exciting when you're
(20:26):
a sports fan. So I couldn't be happy for you guys.
But I know what it is hard to work because
I've lived in a lot of different places like you
have because of my industry, Beth, and I've watched new
stadiums being built and how long it takes, and it
really is behind the scenes folks, with moneies and politics
and zoning and all the other nonsense that goes with it.
Once it's done, it's fantastic, but you just don't realize
(20:46):
behind the scenes how epic it really is. And hair
pulling and losing sleep, and the funding too. It's just
a really big deal. And then of course everything costs
a lot more than when you first started out with.
It's just it's inevitable. I did want to talk about
the future of tennis, and a lot of our listeners
know that, Beth. I'm a seventies kids, so I grew
up with the Grand Slams when it was Borg and
(21:09):
McEnroe and Elie Nastassi and Jimmy Connors and all the greats.
When you started to really follow tennis on just three
channels back then, and we've had a lot of great
men and women America tennis players since then. But you
know as well as I do, that sports is cyclical.
Sometimes it's really super popular, then it goes away. And
as I watched tennis today, there's a lot of great
(21:30):
men and women American players. I think we're really starting
to explode again, which I think is exciting. So I
guess that means for you and I'm hoping and you
can talk about this about the state of tennis, especially
when it comes to the United States. And of course
because of TV and streaming now we can watch everything
all over the world. It's obviously an international game. There's
so many amazing tennis players, men and women all over
the world. But seems like the United States tennis is
(21:52):
really on a rebound of having some great players and
men's and women's. Can you talk a little bit about
the state of tennis right now?
Speaker 1 (21:58):
As you see.
Speaker 4 (21:58):
It, tennis is thriving, Tennis is thriving, American tennis is
the best in decades. We just saw Madison Keys when
the Australian opened. That was incredibly exciting for American tenants.
For Usta she is a fantastic example of that commitment
(22:21):
and dedication of you know, so many people that have
touched her journey. So we are in a really good space.
I think we had maybe four of the top ten.
That's correct American women, and I think last year at
one point we had for the top ten American men.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
So it is really it's coming back.
Speaker 4 (22:47):
I'm a child of the seventies and eighties as well,
when it was when US Tennis.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
Was just incredible, and we're getting back there.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
I think, like what you just said is that they
watch it on TV and they immediately want to grab
a racket in their hand, and if they don't have
the space to do that, we've lost that opportunity. And
so that's why from the mid Atlantic perspective, our charge
is really to ensure that they have access to pursue it,
(23:18):
you know, whether it's the local court and getting it
refurbished and restored so that it's a viable place to play,
or there's programming in their parks and RECs, or they're
learning it in the school, and if they can't afford it,
we provide scholarships to ensure that they can take that journey.
So our job is to piggyback on the success of
(23:40):
you know, the large TV.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Image that you have of teks and.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
Really ensure that we are removing the barriers to entry
so that everybody can get a little taste of that.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Yeah, I'm glad you addressed that, Beth, thank you for that. Well,
let's do this.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
I've talked about so many cool things. We're going to
give the website here and just to second and all
the different things that the website does offered as beautiful
be your team has put together a gorgeous website.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
It's easy to navigate. There's a ton of information on there.
Speaker 5 (24:08):
So before we give that website address, be maybe just
to recap some final thoughts.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
The floor is yours.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Well, I think you know.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
One of the things that differentiates differentiates the USTAM at
Atlantic is we're a mission driven organization. You know, we're
using the sport to really create meaningful change because we
know the power that it has on helping build communities,
enhancing health and wellness of players, and providing kind of
(24:39):
character building opportunities that will impact people for the rest
of their lives. We have a young program called Girls
Who Are the Court that's a perfect example of that.
It's a program that we built a couple of years ago.
That we developed a couple of years ago for ages
seven and thirteen to reach underserved communities, and it has
(25:01):
been incredibly well received very impactful. Really is an example
of how we're not just introducing the sport at a
competitive level, but we're introducing programming that can help young
girls specifically, and girls or the court really build confidence,
character and leadership skills that translates from the court to
(25:24):
the rest of their lives, throughout their lives. And so
the work that we do really focuses on the grassroots
support that we can ensure that everyone has access to
these incredible lifelong opportunities that the sports presents itself. Again,
our Tennis Campus is the biggest initiative that we have
(25:45):
right now.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
We are very excited about it. We need that community
level support.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
It is going to be a publicly accessible facility that's
critically important to us. I talked earlier about the diverse
nature of the mid Atlantic and we want that reflective
in the programmings that we offer in the opportunities to play,
and so the Tennis Campus will provide that and will
(26:12):
also provide an incredible opportunity to come in and receive
the training, the resources, the education, the exposure and then
take that throughout the region. It is focused in the
loud in Louden County, which is real aticenter of our region.
It has a lot of positive components. It's got the
(26:34):
infrastructure to support it. It's built around a very sports
and recreation minded area that very much complements that specific location.
But it will service the whole region. You know, maybe
not on a day to day basis, but we will
from an operating standpoint, work very hard to ensure that
(26:57):
everyone in the region has exposure to the facility.
Speaker 5 (27:00):
Well, very well said, Well, let's give that website. It's gorgeous.
Your team has done a great job with that. Lots
of information on there. What is that for everybody?
Speaker 4 (27:08):
Www dot Usta dot com.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
And then you have to.
Speaker 4 (27:12):
Geofence to the mid Atlantic. There's also a USTA mid
Atlantic Tennis Campus website and that one is specifically around
the tennis campus. That will give you all of the information, pictures,
quotes of supporters.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
We have a lot of eyes on this project.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
We have a tremendous amount of support from the biggest
players in the game, and so.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
You'll see everything on that campus.
Speaker 4 (27:37):
But we you know, when people ask us what do
we do, and they think they either think we're the
US Open or they think it's adult leagues, and those
are what we're both mostly known for, but really I
believe we change lives. You know, access an opportunity to
the life changing benefits of the sport of tennis is
(27:57):
what we are focused on every day. How do we
ensure that everyone throughout the region has those opportunities.
Speaker 5 (28:03):
Well, Beth, you're doing amazing things with your team, and
I know it's not a one person job. It really
takes a village, especially what you're doing and the new
facility coming on and the donors and all the people
that are a part of what you do there.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
So thank you so much. Continue success, and we really
appreciate you joining us in the program.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
Thanks so much, Dennis.
Speaker 5 (28:20):
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Speaker 2 (00:05):
Let's be best to me. She is the COOO for
the USTA mid Atlantic Foundation, a nonprofit organization that covers
the DMV in southern West Virginia, committed to promoting tennis
and its physical, social, and emotional health benefits. They envision
a community where tennis is accessible and available for all
people to play. Before we talk more about best nonprofit
(00:26):
and all the incredible things they are doing for the
world of tennis, I first asked her to talk a
little bit about herself, where she's from and her origin story.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Well, that's always a fun question.
Speaker 4 (00:36):
People that know me when I'm asked that, they always
kind of chuckle to see what my answer is going
to be.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
I actually moved around a lot when I was growing up.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
I went to different schools for first grade, second grade,
third grade, fourth grade.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
I went to two high schools.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
I went to two colleges, And while I don't think
my parents really intended for that to be a proof
of concept and adaptability, it definitely shaped too I am today.
I often use that in professional settings now and adjust
my answer to that given the context of the conversation
(01:10):
or who I'm talking to. So it's come in quite
andy over time, and I really feel that it made
me very much who I am today. We had a
very tight nuclear family because of it. I'm very resilient
comfortable with change. I really look at change from an
optimistic and exciting perspective, not one based in fear.
Speaker 3 (01:33):
And I'm really good at building relationships very quickly. I
had to.
Speaker 4 (01:37):
I had to rely on those that social emotional skill
pretty early on, and so I have really leaned into
all that that brought me.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
I do often joke though, or my family does that.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
The only real negative is is my struggle with picking
a sports team because I have rooted for so many
different throughout my life. But the Commander has definitely made
that easier this season. Yeah, for sure, to solidify them
as my NFL team for sure.
Speaker 1 (02:09):
Well great, Well where'd you go to school? Because I
know you played sports?
Speaker 4 (02:12):
I did. I went to as I said, I went
to to colleges, actually went to I started off at
Gettysburg College and played lacrosse their and I finished at
Towson State, which is now I believe Towson University.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
I studied political science.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
What do you want to do going on to school.
Speaker 4 (02:29):
You know, I went on pretty quickly, ironically, given my
background of change, I went on pretty quickly to get
my master's in organizational development, which is really facilitating organizations
through change.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
And I don't know that it was a deliberate choice
on my end.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
But like I said, I think I had that capacity
and that interest in helping facilitate that for others.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
So I went into that.
Speaker 4 (02:57):
And knew right along, right away that I wanted to
be in a consulting capacity and didn't want to go
into one specific organization.
Speaker 3 (03:06):
I started off that way.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
But then I had an exposure in a consulting capacity.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
So as I established in the opening your CEO for
the USTA mid Atlantic Foundation that covers the DMV and
also some of southern West Virginia, you have an extensive resumes.
Especially there's a huge sports background in your family, with
you and your husband and I'm sure just the entire
family and obviously big fans too, and all the moving
around and picking sports teams. With that said, I can
(03:35):
see why the ust was USTA was interested in you.
Why were you interested in joining them?
Speaker 4 (03:41):
Well, when I came into the organization, I came in
as a consultant. They were going through a pretty significant
structural change. They had hired a new CEO at the time,
and she brought me on about three weeks into her
role really to facilitate going from state led model to
more of a regional one, and I was overseeing that process.
(04:05):
She and I worked so well together, had an immediate
level of trust and respect for one another, and that
work led me.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
For a couple of years in a consulting capacity there.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
But it was soon very clear that they had some
incredible initiatives coming down on a charge from the staff
and really transitioning into a charitable organization, merging with their
foundation and becoming a five to one C three as
well as a long term plan to build a regional
(04:36):
tennis facility. And so it was the perfect opportunity really
to marry my business acumen and experience with my passion
and love for sport. I've been exposed to it my
whole life. I was a multi sport athlete through high school.
I have four sons that are very active into sports.
Like you said, I married a professional lacrosse player, so
(05:00):
it's been very much a north star in my life.
I understand the incredible impact on an individual, a family, community,
and so the chance to really do that on a
day to day basis from a professional standpoint was extremely
appealing and it's exciting to me.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Well, very good, so, Beth.
Speaker 5 (05:20):
Before we get into everything that USTA Midland Foundation does,
what's the mission?
Speaker 4 (05:27):
Our mission statement is the ust and mid Atlantic Foundation
champions tenants for healthier lives and communities, making the sport
accessible to all in the mid Atlantic.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
We recently changed that.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
The last couple of years, it used to be to
develop and grow the game of tennis, and we felt
that that was a little self serving and we do
more than just offer tennis programs. We wanted to really
make it clear in our mission statement that we were
here to help people in the mid Atlantic and really
(06:02):
change their lives from a health and wellness perspective.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
You know, that makes a lot of sense, and I'm
glad that you address that, because, folks, once you get
on the website that we're going to give a couple
times during the interview, it is incredible how much Beth
and her team do. It's really amazing, from junior tennis
players and young people to adults and the new facility
and all the different things they do. I think you're
going to be a little bit surprised during the center
of about how much they actually execute when it comes
(06:25):
to the world of tennis.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
So with that said, if somebody was being introduced.
Speaker 5 (06:29):
Beth in this interview for the first time to USTA
Mid Atlantic Foundation, what would you tell them in giving
that thirty thousand foot view, what would you tell them
that you do.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Well?
Speaker 4 (06:40):
In simple terms, we're a nonprofit that services the physical, social, emotional,
and mental health and wellness of people in the Mid
Atlantic by providing access an opportunity to play tennis.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
As you said, we really.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Operate as the hub of the tennis ecosystem, focusing on
the coaches and the players and the facilities and providers
everything from youth introduction to play and junior player development
to adult recreation and competitive play. We make sure that
people in this region have opportunities and access to the
(07:18):
sport at every stage of their life.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
And every level of the game.
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Beyond that, we really are we have transitioned quite strongly
in the last couple of years to really focus around
our mission and the philanthropic strategy that we have, so
we really expand beyond just those basic play opportunities, and
we provide funding and resources to community tennis providers. We
(07:47):
provide financial support to help revitalize and refurbish courts that
really act as a central point in a community. We
offer junior scholarships to those that are exposed to the
sport the very first time or those that want to
extend their tennis journey from a competitive standpoint, and we.
Speaker 3 (08:07):
Even go into schools.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
We provide equipment, training and coaching to the pe teachers.
That is the best way to meet children where they are.
Tennis is the healthiest sport. It can add up to
ten years of your life. So in the simplest of terms,
we are committed to removing these barriers so that everyone
(08:30):
can take advantage of these life changing opportunities through tennis.
Speaker 5 (08:34):
Well, I love that, and that's a great segue about
funding as a nonprofit. How are you funded?
Speaker 4 (08:40):
We are funded multiple different ways. We do have revenue
generating programs. That's our Adult league program. That is our
primary revenue generating program. It's quite expansive. They're thirty thousand
members in the Mid Atlantic region, and we are also
funding We are a member of USTA now and so
(09:01):
there is grant funding associated with that.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Their primary product is the US Open.
Speaker 4 (09:07):
The US Open is the largest Grand Slam in the world.
So they then feed their funding through the grassroots organizations
like the Mid Atlantic Foundation, so that we can really
affect grassroot changes, and then we have an ever growing
(09:28):
portion of funding coming from our philanthropic efforts. We've done
a lot of work over that over the last couple
of years to really educate and make the public aware
of who we are and the impact that we make,
and so we've seen that support grow and grow, from
individual giving to foundation support to corporate sponsorship. We had
(09:49):
a gala the last couple of years that I can
go into if you want. That has been a great
source of revenue for US, and it has really helped
solid a that the people get it. They know the
impact of this sport, and they want to ensure that
future generations have the opportunities that they have. So it's
(10:10):
multiple sources, but we very much rely on our donors
to continue to expand our programming opportunities that we can
provide to the community in the Mid Atlantic.
Speaker 5 (10:24):
Well, let's expound on that, because the gala it kind
of reputation precedes itself.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
It's a really big deal. Can you tell people about it?
Speaker 4 (10:32):
So last year was our opportunity to have our first gallon.
It was we were celebrating our one hundred year as
an organization and we thought, gosh, what better way to
do that than to have post this galon And we
had it in DC and it was an extraordinary evening.
Speaker 3 (10:49):
We raised almost half a million dollars.
Speaker 4 (10:52):
People came out and droves really to celebrate the history
of the sport and to really honor this prolific rea.
We have produced a lot of great talented professional players
from the mid Atlantic, and so.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
It was really a night of celebration.
Speaker 4 (11:11):
We loved it so much that we did it again
this year, but really had reimagined it to really focus
and hone in on not celebrating the past, but how
do we ensure a long term term sustainability and how
do we continue to focus on the programs of impact
and the change that we make in people's lives through
(11:35):
access to tennis. And even blew the numbers away from
last year, so people are hearing it.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
It's resonating.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
They understand the impact of the sport and they are
helping support those efforts.
Speaker 5 (11:49):
So one of the things you talked about a little
bit earlier is basically getting boots on the ground and
ingraining yourself in the schools with young people, and that's
how you do any sport. I think that people know
that there is a reason why the rest of the
world is so far ahead of us when it comes
to soccer is because they start playing soccer before they
can even walk. Everywhere in the United States, we're getting there,
(12:09):
and as you can see the women's national team and
the men's national teams starting to exponentially get better. That
has to do with two things, starting young and coaching.
And that's where I'd like to go with you on
coaching because I know that's a big deal and it's
on the website, and we'll talk about that again about
how to go to the website check out all.
Speaker 1 (12:24):
The cool things that you can look.
Speaker 5 (12:26):
But can you talk a little bit about coaching and
getting the coaches organized with young people, because I know
that's paramount, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
Well, I think that's one of our significant challenges.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
But I think we're not alone in that.
Speaker 4 (12:38):
I think every youth sport across the country is struggling
in that. It's one of the reasons why we go
into the schools with the Pea curriculum. It's known that
if you introduce sport at a young age, they are
likely to come back to it periodically throughout their life.
(12:59):
It also entered this is an incredible opportunity for character
building that they take way beyond the tennis court. So
it's one of the reasons we go to schools. We
are definitely challenged with coaches. One of the reasons that
we want to build this mid Atlantic campus is because
of we want it to be a hub where coaches
(13:19):
are coming in for that training and support and the resources,
and then they are taking it back out throughout the region.
We don't want the opportunities to stay there. We want
this to be a real learning campus where people can
learn the best in the brightest, learn from the best
(13:41):
in the brightest, and really be able to share that
with their specific communities.
Speaker 3 (13:46):
So we're focused on training retaining more diverse coaches.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
It's really critically important that we have a diverse representation.
We're serving the mid Atlantic as one of the most
diverse regions in the country, and so it's really critically
and that we have a diverse coaching staff and talented
coaches that represent that the players and participants that they're serving.
You know, we all know that your first introduction to
(14:12):
a sport the coaches the one factor yeah that you
either stay with it because that experience was so positive,
or you won't have nothing to do with it. So
that first round of interaction with the sport from the
coach is critically important. So we work a lot with
our national governing body to ensure that there is support
(14:34):
and resources for coaches throughout the country.
Speaker 5 (14:37):
Love that thanks for going into that. I really appreciate it.
We mentioned the new facility a few times and if
anybody has been a part of building anything, whether you're
a medium, small, large business or a sports team or
sports facility, it's herculean and it costs a lot of money.
It takes a lot of time and a lot of planning.
Where are we with everything, Beth, and tell us all
(14:58):
about it, because I know it's pretty excited stuff.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
It's so exciting, But I do appreciate your understanding that this.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
Is maybe simple, not easy. It has been years in
the making. We had identified the need for this year
years ago and had put the.
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Steps in motion to ensure that this would come into
being are We just got the land rezoned in Louden County.
Speaker 3 (15:29):
It's very exciting. We've recently revised the.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
Concept so currently it has twenty one outdoor tennis courts
hard courts with one stadium thirty five seat stadium with
an additional five clay courts outdoors.
Speaker 3 (15:44):
Then we have ten indoor courts. We are introducing pickleball.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
We believe fervently that it's an additive and not a.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Detractor from tennis.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
It is a tennis first facility, but we want the
opportunity for multi sports, multi pas back at sports to
come in and be exposed to you know, to tennis
right in front of them. So there are eight outdoor
pickleball courts and there are two pedel courts. Padel as
a very fast rising sport in Europe and so we
(16:17):
wanted to be able to provide a little bit of
a multi racket opportunity.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
So we're really excited about it. But it is a
large project, you know.
Speaker 4 (16:25):
Right now we're looking for partners who really share in
our mission and want to be a part of this
landmark facility. It will serve us generations to come. We
have a lot of attention on the project. It's the
first in the country from a regional USTA organization and
(16:45):
so there are a lot of eyes on it. It
will very much service as a model that we can
replicate throughout the country to really handle.
Speaker 3 (16:55):
The infrastructure needs that we have.
Speaker 4 (16:58):
We want to get to thirty five million players by
twenty thirty five. We have a very significant charge from
our national governing body, and so the way that you
need to do that is address multiple things, but one
of the significant components of that is infrastructure. And so
if we can craft a model that can serve as
(17:21):
proof of concept of how to do this to where
you have programming, you have events, you have training, you
have coaches, you have programming for underserved youth, that this
can service multiple programs, every age group and really be
(17:42):
something that's transformative to this region, expanding the access to tennis,
but expanding the quality of life of individuals in the
Mid Atlantic.
Speaker 5 (17:52):
It's very exciting, it sure is, and it's just epic, folks,
And I didn't realize how big the facility is indoor
and outdoor. It's really it's unbelievable. What you're going to
have wanted done. When When is exactly? And I know
that you know, maybe you don't want to put a
timeline on it, but is there an estimate about when
the project could be finished?
Speaker 4 (18:10):
Well right now, As I said, we're actively looking for
some partners to ensure from the funding side, but this
is going to happen.
Speaker 3 (18:20):
We're so excited about it.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
It's critically important as an amenity to this region, and
so we're hoping to open the doors either late twenty
twenty seven or.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Beginning of twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 4 (18:31):
Okay, so it's right around the corner. It's not far away, No,
it's not far no. And so we're in active you know,
funding stage, but also need to plan for operations of it.
You know, the fascinating part about our organization is that
we have this incredible grassroots connection to our community, but
(18:55):
we have the access to a national organization brings with
it an incredible amount of technical resources and support that
can ensure this front. We're trying to future proof this
as much as possible so that it is a viable
campus for a multitude of purposes. You know, how incredible
(19:16):
would that be for a young player to see a
pro level event right in their backyard.
Speaker 1 (19:23):
I agree.
Speaker 4 (19:24):
Now they don't have to, it's just it will change
their lives. You know, you need to bring it to
them and then provide the opportunity for them to get
the training and the programming right there.
Speaker 3 (19:38):
You know, we want to have an after.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
School program where it's focused on career readiness, financial literacy,
you know, components that are support the athletic endeavors with
an academic focus, and also just that social emotional learning
which is just really and critically important to our youth.
So it will really be a full service facility and
(20:03):
it's gonna be best in class. It's gonna be beautiful.
Speaker 5 (20:05):
Yeah, I'm so excited for you guys. I know there's
a lot more to come, and the funding as well too.
But I mean, imagine, you know, we live in the
DMV here, and when you're a sports fan, you have
your facility. Capital one is getting a complete redo over
the next three years, and then the commanders are going
to build a new stadium somewhere. I mean, to live
in the DMV here is like freaking exciting when you're
(20:26):
a sports fan. So I couldn't be happy for you guys.
But I know what it is hard to work because
I've lived in a lot of different places like you
have because of my industry, Beth, and I've watched new
stadiums being built and how long it takes, and it
really is behind the scenes folks, with moneies and politics
and zoning and all the other nonsense that goes with it.
Once it's done, it's fantastic, but you just don't realize
(20:46):
behind the scenes how epic it really is. And hair
pulling and losing sleep, and the funding too. It's just
a really big deal. And then of course everything costs
a lot more than when you first started out with.
It's just it's inevitable. I did want to talk about
the future of tennis, and a lot of our listeners
know that, Beth. I'm a seventies kids, so I grew
up with the Grand Slams when it was Borg and
(21:09):
McEnroe and Elie Nastassi and Jimmy Connors and all the greats.
When you started to really follow tennis on just three
channels back then, and we've had a lot of great
men and women America tennis players since then. But you
know as well as I do, that sports is cyclical.
Sometimes it's really super popular, then it goes away. And
as I watched tennis today, there's a lot of great
(21:30):
men and women American players. I think we're really starting
to explode again, which I think is exciting. So I
guess that means for you and I'm hoping and you
can talk about this about the state of tennis, especially
when it comes to the United States. And of course
because of TV and streaming now we can watch everything
all over the world. It's obviously an international game. There's
so many amazing tennis players, men and women all over
the world. But seems like the United States tennis is
(21:52):
really on a rebound of having some great players and
men's and women's. Can you talk a little bit about
the state of tennis right now?
Speaker 1 (21:58):
As you see.
Speaker 4 (21:58):
It, tennis is thriving, Tennis is thriving, American tennis is
the best in decades. We just saw Madison Keys when
the Australian opened. That was incredibly exciting for American tenants.
For Usta she is a fantastic example of that commitment
(22:21):
and dedication of you know, so many people that have
touched her journey. So we are in a really good space.
I think we had maybe four of the top ten.
That's correct American women, and I think last year at
one point we had for the top ten American men.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
So it is really it's coming back.
Speaker 4 (22:47):
I'm a child of the seventies and eighties as well,
when it was when US Tennis.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
Was just incredible, and we're getting back there.
Speaker 4 (22:56):
I think, like what you just said is that they
watch it on TV and they immediately want to grab
a racket in their hand, and if they don't have
the space to do that, we've lost that opportunity. And
so that's why from the mid Atlantic perspective, our charge
is really to ensure that they have access to pursue it,
(23:18):
you know, whether it's the local court and getting it
refurbished and restored so that it's a viable place to play,
or there's programming in their parks and RECs, or they're
learning it in the school, and if they can't afford it,
we provide scholarships to ensure that they can take that journey.
So our job is to piggyback on the success of
(23:40):
you know, the large TV.
Speaker 3 (23:45):
Image that you have of teks and.
Speaker 4 (23:47):
Really ensure that we are removing the barriers to entry
so that everybody can get a little taste of that.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Yeah, I'm glad you addressed that, Beth, thank you for that. Well,
let's do this.
Speaker 5 (23:57):
I've talked about so many cool things. We're going to
give the website here and just to second and all
the different things that the website does offered as beautiful
be your team has put together a gorgeous website.
Speaker 1 (24:05):
It's easy to navigate. There's a ton of information on there.
Speaker 5 (24:08):
So before we give that website address, be maybe just
to recap some final thoughts.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
The floor is yours.
Speaker 3 (24:15):
Well, I think you know.
Speaker 4 (24:17):
One of the things that differentiates differentiates the USTAM at
Atlantic is we're a mission driven organization. You know, we're
using the sport to really create meaningful change because we
know the power that it has on helping build communities,
enhancing health and wellness of players, and providing kind of
(24:39):
character building opportunities that will impact people for the rest
of their lives. We have a young program called Girls
Who Are the Court that's a perfect example of that.
It's a program that we built a couple of years ago.
That we developed a couple of years ago for ages
seven and thirteen to reach underserved communities, and it has
(25:01):
been incredibly well received very impactful. Really is an example
of how we're not just introducing the sport at a
competitive level, but we're introducing programming that can help young
girls specifically, and girls or the court really build confidence,
character and leadership skills that translates from the court to
(25:24):
the rest of their lives, throughout their lives. And so
the work that we do really focuses on the grassroots
support that we can ensure that everyone has access to
these incredible lifelong opportunities that the sports presents itself. Again,
our Tennis Campus is the biggest initiative that we have
(25:45):
right now.
Speaker 3 (25:46):
We are very excited about it. We need that community
level support.
Speaker 4 (25:51):
It is going to be a publicly accessible facility that's
critically important to us. I talked earlier about the diverse
nature of the mid Atlantic and we want that reflective
in the programmings that we offer in the opportunities to play,
and so the Tennis Campus will provide that and will
(26:12):
also provide an incredible opportunity to come in and receive
the training, the resources, the education, the exposure and then
take that throughout the region. It is focused in the
loud in Louden County, which is real aticenter of our region.
It has a lot of positive components. It's got the
(26:34):
infrastructure to support it. It's built around a very sports
and recreation minded area that very much complements that specific location.
But it will service the whole region. You know, maybe
not on a day to day basis, but we will
from an operating standpoint, work very hard to ensure that
(26:57):
everyone in the region has exposure to the facility.
Speaker 5 (27:00):
Well, very well said, Well, let's give that website. It's gorgeous.
Your team has done a great job with that. Lots
of information on there. What is that for everybody?
Speaker 4 (27:08):
Www dot Usta dot com.
Speaker 3 (27:11):
And then you have to.
Speaker 4 (27:12):
Geofence to the mid Atlantic. There's also a USTA mid
Atlantic Tennis Campus website and that one is specifically around
the tennis campus. That will give you all of the information, pictures,
quotes of supporters.
Speaker 3 (27:27):
We have a lot of eyes on this project.
Speaker 4 (27:29):
We have a tremendous amount of support from the biggest
players in the game, and so.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
You'll see everything on that campus.
Speaker 4 (27:37):
But we you know, when people ask us what do
we do, and they think they either think we're the
US Open or they think it's adult leagues, and those
are what we're both mostly known for, but really I
believe we change lives. You know, access an opportunity to
the life changing benefits of the sport of tennis is
(27:57):
what we are focused on every day. How do we
ensure that everyone throughout the region has those opportunities.
Speaker 5 (28:03):
Well, Beth, you're doing amazing things with your team, and
I know it's not a one person job. It really
takes a village, especially what you're doing and the new
facility coming on and the donors and all the people
that are a part of what you do there.
Speaker 1 (28:14):
So thank you so much. Continue success, and we really
appreciate you joining us in the program.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
Thanks so much, Dennis.
Speaker 5 (28:20):
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strong communities, and that starts by backing the businesses within them.
As a Bank for communities, M and T believes in
dedicating time, talent, and resources to help local businesses thrive
because when businesses succeed, our community succeed.
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