Joy in the process: Hall of Famer Cindy Rasche's 42-year tennis journey

Cindy Rasche has been involved in tennis for more than four decades as a player, coach, official and administrator. There’s been one constant, besides the sport itself. It’s the joy that she takes from the game.

“I have been blessed over and over again through different things that have happened over the last 42 years,” she said.

The most recent happening for Rasche was being honored as part of the class of 2025 for the USTA Iowa Hall of Fame. The recognition is a culmination of Rasche’s 42-year career.

“Tennis in Clinton, Iowa, is Cindy Rasche,” said John Terpkosh, fellow 2025 USTA Iowa Hall of Fame inductee and friend of Rasche. “Giving more than 40 years of her tennis expertise has made a difference here. School varsity championships and a successful (community tennis association) and indoor tennis facility have been a part of Cindy’s legacy.”

Coaching and Community

That legacy includes a long list of honors. She has been named a Young Educator of the Year, a Gold Key Award winner in teaching, a multi-time Iowa Coach of the Year and a National Federation of State High School Associations Tennis Coach of the Year.

But despite the list of accomplishments, she’s hardly at the end of her career. She continues to coach in the Clinton area. She runs River Cities Tennis and Pickleball, a four-court indoor facility. As executive director and a member of the board of directors, she’s responsible for keeping the facility financially sound.

Rasche’s biggest joy comes from being on the USTA Iowa Board of Directors as standing chair of the Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Tennis is known as the World’s Healthiest Sport, and the Diversity & Inclusion Committee is purposeful about helping people with physical disabilities enjoy the sport.

“We host the ALL Stars, which is an annual tournament for people with special needs,” she said. “We have more than 50 volunteers help at the tournament. It’s a wonderful experience for everybody involved. Everybody leaves with a big smile on their face. It’s a wonderful thing.

“Socially, it’s fantastic for the participants. It gets them with other people who may have similar disabilities. For them to be able to move around and hit a ball, there’s just so much joy on their face. We differentiate too much between physical health and emotional health. Emotional health directly leads to better physical health.”

Crowning Achievement