Cram, Wilkinson Enjoy Life as USTA League Captains

March is Women’s History Month and USTA Iowa is featuring two women’s tennis captains who have made an impact on tennis in Iowa. 

Ellen Cram - Iowa City

Ellen Cram is evidence that it’s never too late to pick up the game of tennis. She got hooked when she was 40-years old while her son and husband were playing and she decided to join in. She has continued playing for the past 20 years. Her favorite part is the camaraderie and the competition. Captaining teams is just icing on the cake. 

“Try your best to find a group of like-minded players who will support effort (not just wins), are invested in developing their skills and committed to contributing to the team,” she advised. “It is so much easier to be a captain if the other players have the same goals and if they like one another.”

She enjoys the planning and the organizing that comes along with being a captain, even though at times it can be challenging. 

“I am a natural planner/organizer, I like managing the logistics,” she said. “Particularly in a state with a smaller population and more rural areas, it can be challenging to find players to fill out rosters. As we get older, finding women who want to play singles can be tough.”

Recognizing that everyone has different personalities, sometimes the simplest decisions can save a lot of stress. 

“One of the best decisions we made was to let go of trying to find a single outfit that all players could agree upon,” she recalled. 

As far as her future goals, she would like to continue to improve her game, enjoy the competition and qualify again for Nationals. 

Sherry Wilkinson - Urbandale

Sherry Wilkinson is not a morning person, unless it involves tennis. 

“It’s one of the few things I’ll get up early to do,” she said. “My teammates and I even got up at 5 a.m. at sectionals to practice. Other than tennis, I’d only do that for an emergency.”