Lizette Romero Corcoran blends Hispanic heritage, leadership as league captain

For Lizette Romero Corcoran, a captain and 4.5-level USTA League player from Tulsa, Hispanic heritage is deeply woven into every part of her life.

“It is everything to me,” Corcoran said. “It is so deeply woven into who I am. It’s my family, my traditions, my values, my sense of community and how I want to raise our children.”

Those values were instilled in her from an early age. Corcoran’s parents were self-made business owners and the first among their siblings to attend college. Watching them build their lives taught Corcoran a lesson that continues to influence her approach to tennis, leadership and life.

“Opportunities aren’t always handed to you,” she said. “You create them and work hard for them.”

Her tennis story also began with family and community. As a child, Corcoran enjoyed a variety of racquet sports at her elementary school, including paddle tennis and badminton. Her grandmother lived near a public park, providing another opportunity to discover the game.

“We would walk to the tennis courts, which had chain-link fences for nets,” she said. “My siblings and I didn’t care one bit.”

By junior high, Corcoran had joined the tennis team and was attending summer tennis camps through her community center. She played high school varsity tennis all four years and later spent a couple of years playing on the University of Texas at Austin club tennis team.

After stepping away from tennis for roughly a decade to focus on her career, Corcoran eventually found her way back to the sport. She moved to Tulsa in the fall of 2012 and competes on several USTA Oklahoma women’s and mixed teams.

“I’m mostly proud that I’ve stuck with the sport and found my way back to it,” she said. “And I’m so glad I came back stronger and more passionate about it than ever.”

Her return has opened new doors, including joining the First Serve Tulsa tennis board, where she helps support a mission close to her heart: making sure people of all abilities and backgrounds have opportunities to thrive through tennis.

Competition and Connection

For Corcoran, tennis has always been about much more than competition.

“It has introduced me to so many people of different ages, backgrounds and walks of life,” she said. “It’s given me camaraderie, competition, fitness and some of my closest friendships. It’s also taught me to never stop moving and learning.”

That philosophy extends into her role as a team captain. She enjoys creating opportunities for players to compete and become part of something bigger than themselves.

“Especially for women, I think having something outside of work, home and family that is just ours is incredibly valuable,” Corcoran said. “Tennis gives us competition, friendships, goals and a reason to keep challenging ourselves while staying fit.”

She also admitted she enjoys the tactical side of leadership.

“I love the strategy of captaining,” she said. “Making lineups, thinking through matchups and figuring out how to put the team in the best position to succeed is one of my favorite parts.”

Her Hispanic heritage has influenced that approach. Originally from the Rio Grande Valley in southern Texas, Corcoran grew up in a community that had a Hispanic demographic higher than 90%.

“I was raised with a strong work ethic and the belief that you don’t expect things to come easily,” she said. “You prepare, work hard and keep going.”