Playing with Joy Makes McIntire Great Captain

“My team laughs at me, but my big mantra before we go on the court practically for every match is go out and play with joy — that’s what I want us to do,” McIntire said. “It’s just a fun game. The competition is fun. The camaraderie is fun. You just have to go out and play with joy.

“The team has been very supportive of me and Sue and the leadership we’ve provided every year. They go the extra mile to help us out when we need a sub. It’s a give and take. It makes being a captain rewarding if you’ve got a group of people who are really supportive of you, and you are supportive of them. It creates a really good ambiance for a team.”

McIntire said next to competing with her friends and encouraging them, figuring out the right combination of individuals to play together is her favorite component of captainship. For her efforts throughout the years, McIntire received the USTA Missouri Valley Adult League Captain Award recently. She was taken aback upon receiving the award certificate and a package of goodies in the mail.

“During the pandemic, I’ve ordered a whole bunch of stuff,” McIntire said. “I thought it was just going to be another Amazon delivery. I open it and there are tennis balls, a hot and cold mug, a big banner — all this stuff. I’m like, ‘Oh my gosh, where did all this come from?’ It was a huge surprise. I’m kind of blown away by it.”

McIntire said she and McNealy strive to cultivate an atmosphere of fun and enjoyment for their players. Though their team hasn’t been super competitive at the 3.5 level, McIntire said the ladies have a blast just getting together and playing alongside one another. The recent USTA Captain Award was simply a nice tip of the cap for McIntire doing something she thoroughly enjoys.

“I certainly felt both a lot of honor and gratitude for receiving this,” McIntire said. “Also, to be honest, I had this feeling of ‘Oh my god, why me?’ That comes from you doing something because you really value it intrinsically. Not because you expect something in return for it. But when you get something in return for it, it makes you feel really good.”

Though McIntire first tried tennis recreationally in the fifth grade, it wasn’t until her 50s that the game gripped her on a competitive level. In the process, she has gained a strong contingency of close friends. Last year before the Covid-19 shutdown, McIntire’s team threw her a surprise birthday party. This year, at the team party, McIntire is looking forward to breaking out the huge USTA banner she received in the mail as a backdrop for a group photo.

“It’s a team sport. They all have a role in making our season a success,” McIntire said. “It’s so rewarding to have people play their hearts out every week and just enjoy the game, enjoy the competition. That’s what I think it really should be about.”