For Hull, Being a Good Sport Makes Game Fun

While tennis can get quite competitive, it is always important to remember sportsmanship as a core tenant of the sport. Within USTA Heart of America, sportsmanship is displayed through Muriel Hull, the recipient of the USTA Missouri Valley League February Sportsmanship Award.

“I got the award in the mail,” Hull said. “And when I opened it, I got a warm, fuzzy feeling. It really made me feel good. I always try to be fair and honest, and everything has to be in good character.”

Hull displays respect, fairness, honesty and integrity with her opponents, which earned her a nomination for the award. 

“Muriel is an excellent competitor and always gracious, on and off the court,” Sara Armer, who nominated Hull, said. “She is a delight and a challenge to play at the 4.0 level.

Hull began playing tennis when she and her husband were in California, where her husband was stationed for the Army. There was a tennis court on their camp, so they decided to take the sport up and Hull found a love for the game.

“We didn’t have any lessons or anything like that,” she said. “But we took it up and joined a couple of clubs to play socially.”