Playing in his Honor

Casey Thampoe was a beloved captain, player and volunteer who made a long-lasting impact on USTA League. This fall at USTA League National Championships, a team from Middle States is playing with his memory in mind.

“He had done a lot for tennis and he had more friends than I thought anyone could ever have,” said Vijay Parimoo, the co-captain of the NJD/Thampoe team who was close friends with Thampoe. “He was an amazing human being, and we were honored to have him among us.”

Thampoe — well known in the New Jersey tennis community — passed away earlier this year. He had captained teams for more than 13 years and led 10-plus teams to USTA National Championships. As a captain, he went over and above for his players, organizing housing for players at events and even cooking meals for them. His players call him a tremendous organizer, a leader and a good friend. 

In September at the 55 and Over League Middle States Championships, two teams out of the New Jersey District played in honor of Thampoe, all wearing shirts printed with “Team Thampoe” on the front. 

“Casey brought me into USTA, and if it wasn't for him, I wouldn’t have known all these wonderful people,” said another captain and friend, Ramaswami Venkatesh. “I enjoyed being with him, playing for him and I would never have wanted to play for another team.”

Thampoe volunteered as the Middle States League Committee Chair for the past three years, leading the committee in managing the Section Rules in order to create a positive atmosphere for all Middle States players. He served on the Middle States NTRP Committee and League Grievance Committee. 

“He was a legend, he was a phenomenon and we are never going to forget him,” Parimoo said. “We are playing for him this year. We will play for him at nationals.”

Thampoe's 55 and Over Men's 7.0 team will be playing for him at Nationals October 15-17. Click here for the National Championship Schedule and Results