A pillar of the Athens/Oconee community for 37 years, Stacey Venker has most recently served as Director of Tennis for Life in Athens (Bishop Park). After all these years, Venker announced that she will retire from her post in June. For the founder of Tennis For Life, Venker assures tennis enthusiasts that this is not “goodbye!”
“When I started playing tennis at 12 years old in St. Louis growing up, I never would’ve dreamed this could and (would) happen,” admitted Venker. “We lived across the street from a swim and tennis club and I used to watch the tennis instructor giving lessons. Then I found a racquet, started hitting off the backboard and enjoyed it.”
Humble beginnings for Venker as her family moved to New Jersey. What Venker found was shocking and would alter the trajectory of her life.
“New Jersey was way behind on athletics for young girls. I was surprised. I even had to play on a boys soccer because there wasn’t one for girls. I kept playing tennis as there were indoor tennis courts to play in the winter (months). I wound up with a junior ranking and played high school tennis.”
Collegiately she played at Lander in South Carolina and transferred to Clemson University. It was there Stacey found her way to Athens. Following college, Stacey was not looking for a corporate gig, but was looking to make a difference and have time off in various intervals to visit her father who was living in France.
“I saw a notice for new tennis courts that would be opening in Oconee County,” explained Venker. “Remember, this was very rural Georgia in 1987.”
What started with mail in registration and writing all the player’s names down on a piece of paper began 25 years at Bishop Park for Oconee and Clarke Counties.
“It was a big deal to have an answering machine,” interjected Venker. “It was different, but I was told Oconee County was going to be much bigger in 20 years.”
They were right! So began Tennis for Life.
“It was Tennis for Life from the beginning,” added Venker. “It was a great idea to get people interested in tennis. I incorporated it and people took to it from the start. I still have a team of women that have been with me for 30 years.”
When Venker is asked what Tennis for Life is, she says it has evolved into three components of “tennis” and “life”:
1. Tennis is a lifetime sport.
2. Tennis can lengthen your life.3. Tennis is a way to make lifetime friends.
Venker said to make it all work, she had to be nimble and partner with other organizations.
“Stacey has always been a great supporter of USTA and we appreciate those efforts,” said Bill Dopp, USTA Southern, Director, Tennis Service Representatives & Pro Relations / Georgia. “Stacey has assisted the Athens/Watkinsville tennis community immensely. Her positive impact on everyone she came into contact with will be missed!”
Over the years, Venker said she and tennis faced many challenges and obstacles. Maybe none so daunting as all the opportunities open to kids now.
“One big challenge now is all the options available to kids. There wasn’t soccer, acting, computers and all different kinds of camps. I stress that it’s great to be active. It’s great to get out and hit balls and it’s a sport you can play forever. You need a racquet and three balls and there are public tennis courts everywhere.”
Venker also stresses there are ways around tennis being expensive. She says the USTA has had plenty of opportunities and she has given a scholarship to a girl from the Ukraine that reached out to her.
“How can you say no? If your kid wants to play tennis, there is a way.”
As for the immediate future for Venker, she’s looking to do some things she hasn’t had the opportunity to do over the last 30 plus years.
“I look forward to riding my bike and I’m going to do the Bike Ride Across Georgia. I need to lower my handicap in golf, work in my yard and I want to play the piano.”
Some travel is on the docket for Venker and you may see her show up at the courts to hit some balls. But the everlasting memory of her 37 years in tennis remains the same.
“I’ll miss the people,” smiled Venker. “I hope just to show up and see everybody.”
By Rick Limpert, special to USTA Georgia
