Frye Awarded For Impact On Junior Tennis

In honor of our 100th anniversary in 2020, the USTA Missouri Valley will be recognizing 100 deserving tennis providers, players, partners and more across our section throughout the year.

Selected nominees will be given a Gold Star award, recognizing them for the contributions they are making to support and grow the game in the USTA Missouri Valley based on specific program areas and attributes. 

One of the award winners from within the USTA Heart of America this July is Arlene Frye, Chair of the Missouri Valley Junior Competition Committee (JCC).

“The fact that the (USTA Missouri Valley) acknowledged contributions that I have made to tennis and the Missouri Valley was just unbelievable,” she said. “I feel so honored.”

Frye is not a new face in the USTA Missouri Valley.

Starting in 2008, she served as a member of the Scheduling and Sanctioning Committee. In that time, she was able to learn the ins and outs of committee operations. This prepared her to step into her role as the JCC’s chair, which she took over at the beginning of 2019.

In addition to being the chair for the JCC, Frye also is an official for many junior section and district tournaments, as well.

“I already knew a lot about how junior competition worked,” she said. “I was able to build an understanding by asking a lot of questions.”

Born in the Philippines, tennis has played a foundational role in Frye’s life. She speaks of the sport as if it were a long-time friend, making note of its appearances at family gatherings and events as she was growing up.