Betty Olsen is proof that tennis truly is a lifetime sport. At 88 years young, Betty recently captained her Adult 65 & Over 7.0 team to the USTA League National Championships. She first picked up a racquet in her early 30s after entering a tennis tournament with her husband and quickly fell in love with the game. Since then, Betty has spent over 50 years playing, captaining teams, growing the tennis community, and even introducing three generations of her family to the sport.

In celebration of Black History Month 2026, USTA Northern California proudly recognizes Mr. Vincent Owens for his dedication to youth development through tennis and his enduring impact across Oakland and beyond. A respected leader on the USTA NorCal Diversity Committee, Mr. Owens has consistently advanced the mission of expanding access, representation, and opportunity within the sport. His volunteer service spans numerous campaigns, community activations, and youth-centered

Q: Can you tell us a little about your journey in tennis and how you first got started? A: I began playing tennis at around ten years old. At the time, I was unable to join the older boys who were going to play baseball, and I remember feeling frustrated about being left out. Determined to find something to do, I discovered an old tennis racket in the pantry and took it to the local schoolyard, where I began hitting against the wall. I do not even believe I had a proper tenn

By Nancy Moya Much beyond witnessing Californian Taylor Fritz win the match that earned his “Team World” the Laver Cup prize in the Golden State, staff, members and volunteers of the USTA Northern California (Norcal) had the opportunity to experience tennis activities outside the Chace Center where this event was held last month. The USTA Norcal staff had the opportunity to set up a kiosk to shine a light about the benefits of being part of this chapter. “It was an amazing

Thanks to a generous grant from San Franciscans for Sports and Recreation (SFFSR) , the 10 public high school tennis courts at Lowell...