Missouri Valley / Iowa

From China to Iowa: Huafeng 'Shirley' Shi finds tennis dream as USTA official

David Smale | April 10, 2026

Huafeng Shi always thought it would be great to be an athlete, but she never had a chance to pursue that dream.

Shi, who goes by Shirley, grew up in China. The government selected children while they were in early grade school who appeared to have athletic potential and put them into training to develop those skills. If you weren’t picked, athletic opportunities were few and far between. Shi’s family didn’t have the resources for her to pursue sports on her own.

After graduating from college she started playing badminton, which is popular in China. When she and her husband, who she met in college in China, moved to the United States, they looked for places to play badminton, but those spots were hard to find. So that athletic tug went unrequited for a while.

Discovering the Game

When their daughter was 5 years old, she started to take tennis lessons. Tennis was as close to badminton as they could find in the U.S.

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Shi was curious about the sport, and her daughter encouraged her to try it for herself. She took a few lessons and found out she liked it. About four years ago, she joined a USTA Iowa league with other beginners.

But it was primarily through watching her kids’ matches — her son also took up tennis — that she became intrigued about officiating.

“I noticed some things during their matches,” she said. “Like a player might try to delay the game. I wanted to let my kids know the rules so they could protect themselves.

“I don’t think the young players are trying to manipulate anything, but it’s better if they know the rules. It’s better if they play the match based on their skill level, not something else.”

The captain of Shi’s USTA Iowa league team, Linda Wilker, had recently become certified as an official, so Shi asked if it was hard. Wilker said it wasn’t and encouraged Shi to start the process.

She started studying the rule book and then attended an officials certification workshop last year at Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex in Iowa City.

Running the workshop were Joan McShane, USTA national trainer; Micah Matthews, USTA Missouri Valley officiating growth manager; and Steve England, who is over officials in USTA Iowa. This workshop produced three new officials, including Shi.

Shi was certified as an official last July, and her first tournament as an official happened in September. England said she’s already made a difference in USTA Iowa.

After her daughter tried tennis, Huafeng 'Shirley' Shi took some lessons and joined a USTA Iowa league about four years ago.

Huafeng 'Shirley' Shi became certified as an official at the recommendation of Linda Wilker, the captain of Shi's USTA Iowa league team.

After her daughter tried tennis, Huafeng 'Shirley' Shi took some lessons and joined a USTA Iowa league about four years ago.
Huafeng 'Shirley' Shi became certified as an official at the recommendation of Linda Wilker, the captain of Shi's USTA Iowa league team.

Sharp Focus

Shi spent many years working as a photographer/graphic designer at an international school in Beijing, which she said impacts her officiating. In photography, she follows the concept of the ‘decisive moment’ by French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson. She applies that principle to her work on the tennis court.

“During matches, my attention moves quite intentionally as I try to anticipate those moments,” Shi said. “I might look at the server, then check if the receiver is ready. Then return to the server for possible foot faults, and finally focus on the ball. If I sense a drop shot coming, I’m already preparing to count the bounces. Between points, I also keep an eye on the players and the surroundings.

“It feels very similar to photography — you don’t want to miss any moment that could become a great shot. It sometimes feels like my eyes are a camera lens, locked onto the ball during a long rally, with everything else fading away. The whole experience feels very present, almost like a form of meditation. After a couple of hours of officiating, even though my legs are sore, I feel mentally lighter and deeply content.”

The highlight so far for her has been when players ask for help. She would prefer not to interject herself unless she’s needed.

“I like it when the players come to me and say, ‘We’re about to play a third-set tiebreaker. Can you watch us play?’” Shi said. “One time, after a match, one of the players came to me and said, ‘Thanks, ref.’”

Being a tennis player and an official has made a huge impact on her life as well as those around her.

“I always wanted to be an athlete when I was young. And this kind of made my childhood dream come true in a different way,” Shi said. “I can be involved as an official. I can play and know the rules. And I can help young players.”

It just took moving halfway around the world.

Check out more stories from across the USTA Missouri Valley celebrating officials by clicking here.

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