Meet Myia McAllister, new digital assistant for USTA St. Louis

Hello! I’m Myia McAllister, the new digital assistant for USTA St. Louis and USTA Missouri, and I am incredibly excited to join the marketing and communications team.

Tennis has been a part of my life ever since I was a young girl. Both my grandma and mom had been playing tennis, so it was only right I followed in their footsteps. I have fond memories of junior clinics, local tennis summer camps and playing Junior Team Tennis (JTT).

I became close with my teammates and created lifelong friendships through the sport. Being a part of a team and building these relationships encouraged me to come out of my shell and become more comfortable being myself. My competitive spirit was ignited at a young age, and I still carry that same energy through everything I do. Whether it’s on the courts or in my work, a little friendly competition never hurts anyone!

I continued to play tennis all four years of high school on the girls’ varsity team. It was challenging both mentally and physically, but I came out stronger than ever. After high school, I took my shot and tried playing at the college level. I knew the competition would be tough, but it was nothing like I could have ever imagined. One semester later, I decided I was more of a “play for fun” kind of person and joined my university’s tennis club. The casual play and fun practices were more my speed at the time.

During high school and college, I worked part-time at Vetta Racquet Sports. My mom was working there and encouraged me to tend the front desk. I worked nights during leagues, clinics, racquetball and occasionally pickleball. I got to know the club’s players pretty well, and it soon became my tennis homebase!

During my sophomore year of college, I started coaching red ball clinics and orange ball clinics both at the club and at local parks. It was so exciting to see the new faces of tennis and share my passion for the sport.

Recently, I have decided to dip my feet back into more competitive play. I am hoping to join a team with a few ladies from my home club in the fall. However, in the meantime, I can be found at my neighborhood park running around and hitting for the fun of it.

Off the courts, I enjoy baking, rock climbing and being outside. I love to travel, so I have some exciting trips to the East Coast and West Coast to look forward to this summer!

My proudest accomplishment this year has been graduating with my bachelor’s degree from Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville School of Business. I finished my studies in business administration with a focus on marketing. I look forward to exercising my marketing and writing skills here with the USTA. Joining the digital team has relit my love for tennis, and I can’t wait to share stories with you all!

Have a story idea for me? Submit it at communications@movalley.usta.com.