Get to Know Captain Tammie Snyder

Q: When did you start playing in USTA NorCal Adult Leagues?

A: In 2002

Q: What do you like most about Adult Leagues?

A: The sport itself as well as growing a family within the tennis community.

Q: What influenced you to become a captain?

A: I studied to be a teacher and actually had a bad experience with a coach who reminded me how to be a better captain/coach.

Q: Who has most influenced you as a captain? What was the best advice they gave you?

A:My players influence me the most to be a better captain. They remind me that they are just real people trying to do their best in life as well as playing tennis. I have two good pieces of advice. “The last person to hit the ball IN wins” and “The tennis ball doesn’t know it’s at playoffs, sectionals or nationals, it just wants to be hit, see the ball and hit the ball”.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about being a captain?

A: Definitely making my teams more like a family. A tight group of friends that celebrate each others wins and support each other during life’s downs.

Q: What words of advice do you have for new captains?

A: Surround yourself by people you like hanging out with. Don’t just put together a team to “win”. Players that actually like their teammates will try a LOT harder than a hired gun who doesn’t care about anyone on the team.

Q: Congratulations on captaining the 2023 WALNUT CREEK RC/Walnut Creek TC 55AW8.0B team to Nationals! What were your most memorable moments at nationals?

A: The support our teammates gave one another. Win or lose they were cheering every single point. Many of us stuck around after Nationals and went on a 4 day vacation together to Sedona. Brought us even closer together.

Q: Is there anything else you would like to share about you?

A: Many captains would never play every single player available at sectionals but I ALWAYS let every player play. There are a few reasons, one like I mentioned before is your entire team got you to where you are. Whether or not if they won or lost. Sometimes a player loses but they took the hit against the opponents toughest team to allow the other lines to win. How did they not contribute? No one will ever get

sectionals matches experience without actually playing at sectionals. It’s a different type of pressure and you have to experience it to learn to enjoy it and like the pressure. When we went to Nationals every single player played. Did we win Nationals? No. Did we have fun and enjoy ourselves? Hell yes!