Captain in the Spotlight Minh Tran

Learn more about Oklahoma City team captain Minh Tran, our Captain in the Spotlight, through our Q & A! Tran advanced two 4.0 teams to Nationals this year.  

League captains make up the largest group of volunteers in the USTA. Their willingness to serve their team and USTA Leagues in this leadership role is greatly appreciated. Tran is the perfect example of a great USTA Adult League captain. He is extremely organized, a great motivator for his teammates, and displays great sportsmanship on the court.  

Tran will also be recognized at the USTA Oklahoma Hall of Fame and Award Banquet for Outstanding Contributor to USTA League Tennis Programs on February 1, 2020 at the Renaissance Convention Center & Hotel in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  

USTA.com: What two teams that you captain are going to USTA League Nationals?

Tran: Phuong Le and myself are the Co-Captains for Team Tran/Le. We are going to nationals with our Men’s 18 and over 4.0 and Men’s 40 & Over 4.0 teams.

USTA.com: When are the USTA League National Championships?

Tran: The 40 & Over 4.0 nationals is October 11-13 in Surprise, Arizona, while the 18 & Over 4.0 nationals is 18-20 Oct in Las Vegas. 

USTA.com: Have you been to USTA League Nationals before?

Tran: Team Tran/Le made it to nationals in 2016 in Men’s 40 & Over 4.0 with essentially the same core guys on our current team. 

USTA.com: How long have you been a captain for USTA Leagues?

Tran: I have been a captain since 2011 and Phuong joined us in 2013 to co-captain with me. 

USTA.com: What was the toughest match at the League Section Championships?

Tran: Our toughest matches at the 40 & Over sectionals were the semifinals vs. Tulsa that went down to the last court which we won in a super tiebreaker, and in the finals when we beat Iowa, who had defeated us in the sectional finals in Kansas City last year, in another down-to-the-last-court super tiebreaker.

In the 18 & Over Sectionals in Oklahoma City, we beat a very tough Heart of America team, 3-2, in the semifinals and a very talented and deep St. Louis team, 3-2, in the finals. So I guess you can say we really like those 3-2 matches on Sundays this year. 

USTA.com: What was your strategy to get to USTA League Nationals?

Tran: Our strategy to get to nationals is to have depth and versatility with our lineups. We have a lot of guys that have played both singles and doubles for us and it helped keep our lineup fresh for the 5-6 matches that you would have to play to win sectionals. In the semis and finals, the other teams played essentially the same guys while we were able to get some fresh legs in the finals. 

USTA.com: Favorite USTA League memory?

Tran: It is definitely this season because we ended 2018 with losing in the 40 & Over sectional finals in Kansas City. The way everyone worked on getting better and staying focused this season has really propelled us to a great year. Beating a great Iowa team that beat us in that 2018 sectional finals in K.C. made it even sweeter. 

USTA.com: Did you know everyone on your team before it began?

Tran: The core group has been playing together for 6-7 years. Some of the guys have been with us since we formed our team in 2010. The others we have met through guys on the team. We truly enjoy the social aspect of playing League tennis and the diverse group that we have (pastor, engineer, account executive, lawyer, architect, etc.) provides for great off-court interactions. Going to nationals in 2016 also made us a closer team, as it was a great experience and opportunity for everyone to get to know everybody better.

I think this is a great team because it’s a great bunch of guys who love playing but also enjoy cheering for their teammates. The other teams do hear us when they are playing Oklahoma City. The guys really make captaining easy for Phuong and myself because everyone is supportive of their teammates.

For more articles like this one, check out our online magazine The Baseliner at www.thebaseliner.net.