Trio of father/son doubles teams compete on same USTA League squad

In celebration of Father’s Day taking place June 15, USTA Nebraska is spotlighting a USTA League team composed of multiple father/son connections.

For the first match of the 2025 season, Kreg Green’s 18 & Over 4.0 men’s team had a unique doubles lineup: three father/son teams. In addition, all of the young men were graduating seniors from Lincoln high schools.

While it can sometimes be challenging to find young players to join USTA League teams, Green was able to do it by pairing them with their earliest mentors. Barry Bucknell/Joseph Bucknell, J.P. Jamison/Ruyter Jamison and Steve Warner/Barrett Warner have embraced and enjoyed the chance to compete together.

“I’m thankful for this opportunity to bond on the court while playing the sport we both love,” said Barry Bucknell, father to Joseph Bucknell. “It’s been such a fun and meaningful experience for me. I really appreciate how Joseph takes it easy on me and laughs when I make errors. He’s so much better than I am, so having him as a doubles partner is both humbling and rewarding.”

“This is my first year playing with my dad, and I kept telling him that it would be fun and he finally agreed,” Joseph Bucknell said. “We both think it was a great idea because we can bond over the game we both love.”

J.P. Jamison and his son, Ruyter Jamison, enjoyed competing alongside each other for the first time in a USTA match.

“What I love most about playing with my son is seeing the player that he has become and his passion for the game,” J.P. Jamison said. “Tennis really relates to life in many ways. Watching my son grow and mature from a little 8-year-old boy to a young adult, and to see his game evolve along the way, has been a journey I will never forget.”

“We ended up being on the same team together through connections with my dad, and I figured it would be fun to watch him play or play with him,” Ruyter Jamison said. “My goals for the rest of the season are to go undefeated.”

Steve Warner said it helps to have three of the best boys’ doubles players in the state on the same USTA team, and he’s loving every minute playing with his son, Barrett Warner. 

“I’m grateful to enjoy the moments together that we can,” Steve Warner said. “While being in different generations, it is wonderful to prove the saying that tennis is a lifetime sport.”

“What I enjoy most about playing with my dad is the connection and quality time we get from it,” Barrett Warner said. “It’s really nice to be able to play tennis with the person that taught you. One interesting story was how we won our first match together in a third-set tiebreaker. We held off many match points and eventually won 13-11.”

Joseph Bucknell, Ruyter Jamison and Barrett Warner will all be attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the fall.

Learn more about USTA Nebraska leagues by clicking here.