LAC Spotlight: Victoria O'Donnell

Inspired by her own introduction to tennis, Victoria O’Donnell has been a Local Area Coordinator (LAC) volunteer for four years for the Napa/Solano and Sonoma/Mendocino areas.

O’Donnell started playing tennis later in her life when her husband, a longtime player, encouraged her to give it a try after injuries stopped her from competing in triathlons.

When she first started out 12 years ago, O’Donnell felt like she didn’t have a fair captain or experience in her first year. Based on this and her organizational skills as a director for a nursing education program and a college dean, O’Donnell knew she wanted to be more than just a player in Adult Leagues and decided to take on captaining.

She quickly took to it and when the opportunity to become an LAC came about, she jumped at the chance to help others.

“My experience inspired me to help others,” O’Donnell said. “I think it’s important because local players need to have someone they can immediately be in touch with for their questions. There are a lot of new captains and they sometimes need a personal touch for their help.”

Among her duties as a LAC, O’Donnell said the most common question she encounters is the need for clarification of rules and regulations. But beyond helping people find the answers they need, she enjoys the mentoring aspect of the role.

“I have mentored many people who have become captains, and I enjoy that personal connection of helping people out,” she added. “It’s gratifying when someone shares they feel they have become a better captain because of their interaction with me.”

In addition to her role as an LAC, O'Donnell is still an active participant in Adult Leagues and captains teams for women’s 55+ and 65+, as well as women’s 5.5 combo. Not only does she enjoy playing, but she also enjoys helping get new players interested in the sport. She has even introduced her daughter to tennis and got her playing on one of her teams.

“I like to bring new people into tennis and try to give everyone a chance to play. For me, it's about promoting good sportsmanship and getting people interested in the sport,” she added. “I remember I had no confidence going in when I started playing.”

Nevertheless, O’Donnell said she has met very few people along her tennis journey who weren’t supportive. And for that, “I just kept going and now I do it for fun.”

And that's one of the main reasons O’Donnell continues her commitment as an LAC and plans to continue for years to come.