A United Trio

“The UMLY United experience is more than tennis,” Nguyen said.“It is about building friendships and a community where we all support one another both on the tennis court and in life.”

The group recognized the support of the UMLY Director of Tennis, Don Draper, along with the assistance of USTA Middle States PATD Area League Coordinator, Sally Baird. 

“Sally’s leadership and guidance is the bedrock of the teams. By helping us learn the ins and outs of captaining, always keeping us informed of news and changes, taking time to answer questions, and making herself available, she makes captaining possible,” Steinway said. 

Their collaboration seemed to pay off with a successful fall season, having three of their teams placing first or second in their respective flights. Each team even supports one another throughout the season. 

“When one team does well, all teams celebrate in that success, and vice versa,” Powell added. “Understanding and appreciating that success is not only in the result of the match, but how the team is growing. A loss is not the end of the world, and a victory is not the only thing that matters.”

This trio has certainly made a mark in the Philadelphia tennis community and has established an even greater sense of community at UMLY. The support for each other through practices, development, wins, and losses, unites them as a team. 

“Most importantly, we want to say a huge thank you to all our players,” the group wrote in a statement. “A team is far more than its captains, the heart and soul of UMLY United is its members, and absolutely none of this would be possible without all of their commitment and friendship.”