TCC Volley Queens

A casual suggestion from a teaching pro turned into something major for New Jersey’s Michelle Emerson and Tanya Evanchik.

“In an effort to get more members involved in tennis, a new pro at our club suggested starting a USTA league team,” said TCC Volley Queens captain, Michelle Emerson.

Fast forward six years, and the Trenton Country Club Volley Queens are still going strong. 

Established in 2017, the women’s 3.0 team began like many: by losing most of their matches, and finishing at the bottom of the league rankings. 

“This was a completely new experience for most of our players,” said co-captain Tanya Evanchik. “Our biggest struggle was that our doubles partners didn’t know each other very well. It took time to gel as a team.”

Sticking with it, practice and dedication helped the players evolve as individual players. As a team, they also formed partnerships that created consistency on many levels. 

The consistency of having a dedicated captain and co-captain is another reason for the team's improvement. Emerson co-captained the TCC Volley Queens in 2017-2018, then became captain in 2019 where she was joined by co-captain Evanchik. 

The pair work well together and think highly of each other. 

 "Tanya and I each bring different strengths to the table,” said Emerson. “We work well together to keep our team going. We've become close friends through the years and I love having her as my co-captain."

“Michelle is really a great captain,” said Evanchik. “ She makes sure everyone feels included and she is very organized. She puts a lot of effort into being the captain and making sure the team is moving forward.”

That forward movement came this year when the TCC Volley Queens made it to the New Jersey District Championships. Their genuine love of the game (and each other) shined through, validating all of their hard work.