Jacelone Works Tirelessly to Expand KC Tennis

If you’re involved with tennis in the Kansas City community, at one point or another you’ve probably heard the name Marcia Jacelone, and for good reason. She is a member of the 2019-20 USTA Heart of America Board of Directors, won USTA Heart of America Volunteer of the Year in 2016 and won the Outstanding Contributor award at both the Heart of America and Missouri Valley levels in 2018. 

“When I get involved with a project, I tend to go full-force,” she said. “And if I love something, I put all of my efforts into it.”

Jacelone currently serves as the coordinator for the 18-39 year old leagues in USTA Heart of America, and has seen tremendous growth over the past two years. What was once a two-team league has now transformed into over 12 teams competing at different levels.

“I enjoy bringing people together, it’s as simple as that,” she said.

This is not the first example of tennis excellence at the hands of Jacelone. She also has boosted participation in Tri-Level Leagues and the creation of a Flex League from drop-in tennis matches on her track record.

She is far from finished, however, and still has big projects on her mind. She is currently working with the USTA in community development, and would like to see the reemergence of a Varsity League, which would allow college students to participate in pick-up matches and mixed doubles.

“It’s socialization,” she said. “The USTA offers opportunities to bring people together.”

It does not take long in talking to Jacelone to realize that she has a deep passion for human connection, a passion that comes from her 25-year history in the medical field. 

“I still have an inclination to help people,” she said. “My background in the work field is to help.”

Her involvement with the USTA began by chance, after an accident while pitching in a softball league left her searching for new ways to stay active. Her son’s involvement with tennis made the game seem like the obvious choice.

“I started playing without instruction,” she said. “Then I started enjoying it, and one of my friends said, ‘I’m having a hard time captaining, why don’t you do it?’ My background was to put things together and I figured I could handle it.”

Jacelone leads an active life and is busy outside of her work with the USTA, but always finds a way to make it work.

“A lot of people call me ‘The Multitasker,’” she said. 

The Multitasker has been helping expand the game of tennis in the Kansas City area for many years now, and her reach expands all over the city. The USTA is thankful for all that she does, and those like her who find a way to fit tennis into their already-hectic lives.