August Spotlight of the Month - Volunteer

Each month, USTA Oklahoma will highlight a Player, a volunteer, and a NJTL (National Junior Tennis & Learning) or Adaptive Tennis Player. After selecting the 3 winners, we will sit down for Q & A with the spotlight of the month. 

• Athlete - Any player that has good sportsmanship & dedication to the sport, whether they are just starting out in a Team Challenge or they are a National ranked player we would love to hear who you would recommend from your team or facility. 
• Volunteer - A person that has gone above and beyond for your facility or program.  
• NJTL/Adaptive Player - A player that has demonstrated hard work and dedication they have put forth in their program.   

The August SPOTLIGHT of the month volunteer is….

Bill Riggan

Where do you volunteer?

I volunteer in person in Norman, Noble, and the greater Oklahoma City metro area. Outside the state, I financially support a number of national and international charitable organizations.

What organization(s) do you volunteer for?

Locally and regionally, I have a) served USTA Missouri Valley and USTA Oklahoma as a league team captain for 32 consecutive years; b) served 20 years total on 3 Missouri Valley committees (self-rate appeals committee, 4 years; NTRP grievance committee, 12 years as chairman; Section Grievance Committee 4 years and counting); c) assisted the District and Section League Coordinators at several sectional championships; d) served the Oklahoma University Retirees Association as Communications Director and newsletter writer/editor/publisher for 18 years; e) served a 105-year-old OU academic club as chronicler and historian for 21 years; f) donated time and money to Norman’s leading organization benefitting the town’s unhoused population; g) donated time and money to Cleveland County’s busiest and best animal rescue organization.

How long have you been volunteering at these organizations?

Length of most volunteer services was noted in the answer to Question 2.

Do you play tennis?

Yes. Did not take up tennis until my late 20s, but have played regularly and often (too often, my wife sometimes says!) for almost 50 years now.

Favorite tennis memory?

That would have to be the entire 2015 league season, when I captained or co- captained 5 different men’s teams (18s, 40s, 55s, 65s, Tri-Level) and each of the five won its respective local league title, swept through districts, and qualified for sectionals. One team (4.0 40s) advanced to the sectional quarterfinals before losing; two teams (8.0 55s and 8.0 65s) advanced to the semifinals before losing; and one team (4.0 18s) went undefeated at sectionals in OKC and advanced to nationals.  Quite a year, to say the least!

Where are you from?

Grew up in Raleigh NC, undergrad studies at UNC-CH, graduate degrees from Indiana University, two years foreign study in Germany (Göttingen 1966-67, Hamburg 1973-74), settled in Norman 1974 after accepting an editorial and teaching position at OU.

How long have you been playing?

Began playing with OU friends in 1975 at age 29. Was soon playing singles and doubles 2-4 times a week on local public and private courts. Joined a league team (3.5) in 1989, took over as team captain in 1991, moved up to 4.0 in 1993, and have been at that level ever since—except for one season (2021) when I was surprisingly reclassified as a 3.5. Was restored to 4.0 for the 2022 season.

Favorite athlete?

Tennis past: Sampras and Goolagong. Tennis present: Tiafoe and Gauff.

Basketball past: Jordan and Courtney Paris. Basketball present: Antetokounmpou and Sue Bird.

Baseball past: Mantle and Aaron. Baseball present: Judge and Ohtani.

Softball: Almost any OU player from the last 20 years.

Who is your tennis coach?

Tim Ritchie, for the last 7-8 years. In 2021 he was even somehow persuaded to be my regular partner on my 8.0 55s team; we went undefeated throughout the local league season, districts, and sectionals.

What is your pre-match ritual or pre-match meal?

Lots of pre-match stretching, especially legs, core, shoulders, and neck. A piece of fruit and/or an energy bar plus plenty of fluids an hour or so before a match.

What racquet do you use?

Babolat Drive Max 110, strung (by me) in the mid-to-upper 40s with natural gut or with a gut/poly hybrid.

Forehand or backhand?

Backhand (one-handed) is my more reliable and more accurate stroke and can be hit with heavy slice or driven with good topspin.

Favorite sport, besides tennis?

Was a good four-sport athlete throughout my teens and in the summers during my eight college years:  point guard in basketball, infielder/pitcher/power hitter in baseball and fast-pitch softball, QB/punter in football. Gave up all those by my mid-20s, then took up tennis, which is the only team or individual sport I’ve played since. As for sports viewing, I’ll rarely miss a UNC basketball game that’s accessible to me on TV or online, will tune in to some of the better rivalry games in baseball (Mets/Yanks, RedSox/Yanks, Cards/Cubs) when available, and will try to catch every Thunder game that’s telecast or streamed. Enjoy watching soccer matches involving such elite teams as Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Paris St. Germain, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Juventus, and will tune in to World Cup matches involving both the US men and the US women. And for the last decade I’ve caught telecasts of as many OU softball games as I could.

Favorite food?

For special occasions I (and my wife) favor haute cuisine of the continental, French, or Asian fusion variety. For more casual dining, I’m a fan of well-prepared Japanese or Chinese or Korean or Vietnamese fare, Greek and Middle Eastern specialties, and authentic Mexican or Italian or Caribbean food. For on-the-go eating, such sandwich/sub establishments as Jersey Mike’s and Jimmy John’s and Firehouse Subs are hard to beat.