2024 USTA Eastern Family of the Year: The Bonetti Family

Of course, so much more than tennis is encoded in their DNA.

“I brought the kids up to really help others,” Kirstyn says. “I think being involved in the community and giving back is really important for any child to do. And tennis is such a big part of our family, so I wanted them to find ways to spread that love of the game to others.”

With commitment to service in mind, Hudson volunteered at an ACEing Autism program in South Orange, N.J. as a high school freshman. (ACEing Autism is a nonprofit organization that connects children with autism to the sport.) He found the experience so rewarding that—in the spring of 2023—he and his brother endeavored to create and lead a program at their own high school, the Delbarton School (in Morristown). Nearly two years later, 14 kids with disabilities show up to the Delbarton tennis courts each fall and spring to participate in six-week sessions that they organize.

“We’ve made it such a community,” Hudson says. “Now we have kids and volunteers [in the program] who are friends off the court. That’s what's been really important to me. We’ve grown together.”

The Bonettis all work as a unit to ensure the operation’s continued success. Hudson, Kirstyn, Brayden and Robert all serve as program directors. Jim helps organize the food and refreshments and talks to the parents watching their kids participate. They ultimately strive to create a relaxed, family-friendly environment where every participant can, each week, discover the joys and benefits of the sport. And while their mission has always been to positively impact others, the Bonettis can’t help but feel that the program has also transformed them.

In the spirit of making a difference, the family is also involved in the USTA Eastern New Jersey Region Junior Council. Hudson and Brayden both serve as members while Kirstyn oversees the group as an advisor. The junior athletes on the council work to serve their community through the sport. They have organized clothing and racquet drives, and they recently held a doubles mixer where the entry fee was a toy donation for Toys for Tots. In her advisory role, Kirstyn empowers the kids to take the lead themselves.

“Kirstyn has done an amazing job with the council, running it like a business,” Jim says of his wife, who, incidentally, spent much of her career on Wall Street. “She’s teaching these kids about responsibilities. They respond to emails when they’re putting together events, they’re in charge of making phone calls. She’s asking them to come up with ideas and drive outcomes that can make a difference in their communities. I think a lot of these young adult programs can be passive. They attend a meeting each month. Here, Kirstyn holds them accountable, and they all do a great job.”

The sport has also helped Hudson and Brayden strengthen their bond with their grandfather, who serves as their coach. Under Robert’s purview, they have scored top results throughout the years. In 2018, the brothers won the same Little Mo sectional tournament in their respective age groups, and as a sophomore, Hudson captured the Morris County championship in #2 singles. Incredibly, with Robert also in her corner, Kirstyn captured the same title nearly 30 years prior.

“Because I’ve played, we have great conversations about strategy and the mental game,” Kirstyn says. “I can personally relate to what they’re going through, so I think tennis brings us all together. And then my dad is on the court with them. And that’s been important, that they’ve been able to have their grandpa mentor them as they’ve grown. Tennis is kind of the centerpiece of our family.”

Jim himself is not a big player—except on family vacations. But he more than agrees with the sentiment.