Reigniting a Passion for Tennis: Jennifer Driscoll's Story

But then life happened. She attended college and graduate school, entered the workforce, became a CEO and started a family. For 24 years, she took a break from tennis.

As a full-time working mom, it wasn’t until she moved from New York City to Connecticut that she sought a healthy activity to improve her quality of life. That’s when the passion was reignited. 

She started playing again at both Westport Tennis Club and Aspetuck Valley Country Club (AVCC) and would soon discover how outdated her game had become. Placed on the D team in her group at AVCC, she realized a change was necessary. She proposed that her teaching pro scrap her entire game and start fresh, as if she were a junior player.

After two years of training, she was back, placed on the A team, and becoming one of the top players.

She now actively plays on 18 & Over and 40 & Over USTA League teams for Milford Indoor Tennis.

Driscoll’s newfound love for the game, combined with her husband Keith’s tennis background, led to a natural entry into the sport for their three kids, Katie (16), Emily (15), and Ryan (11).

“We would talk about winning and losing, but never emphasized it. It was important to us how they were growing and developing as people, making friends, and if they were doing the right thing and enjoying what they were doing, then the results would come,” Driscoll said. “I would tell them, ‘if you’re not a good sport, you’re out of there.’ Katie and Emily have both won sportsmanship awards over the years, and that makes me most proud. I have tears in my eyes talking about it. This sport is doing exactly what I wanted it to do for them as people.”

As a tennis player and parent, Driscoll found the next step in her journey as a volunteer. She sought out opportunities where she felt she could make a difference, and her first landing spot was at Westport Tennis Club with teaching pro, David Mwanza.

She assisted Mwanza with his Junior Team Tennis (JTT) program and eventually helped grow the program into a desirable option for local youth.

She took that experience and ran with it, starting the JTT program at Aspetuck Valley, the only country club in New England at the time with a JTT program. From there, she helped revive the same program at New Canaan Racquet Club.

From the JTT world, Driscoll transitioned into the high performance junior world. She served as a parent liaison at multiple clubs, assisting new tennis parents navigate the junior circuit.

“Through each volunteer effort, I learned more about USTA. I realized I knew a lot and was meeting more people. If I’m having an impact and helping people, I thought about how I could help more people and make an even greater impact,” Driscoll said. “All those steps I took made me invested in the success of the New England Section. Last year, I saw a board position open and thought to myself, it was my time, I was ready.”

Driscoll was elected in January and now serves as the Secretary on the USTA New England Board of Directors, a position she’ll hold through 2026.

“Jenn has a great passion for the game of tennis and has been a steadfast supporter of all the players, our clubs, our tournaments and the USTA in New England,” said Scott Steinberg, USTA New England Past President. “Many times, she is the person parents and players go to for all tournament information, clarification of rules, rankings, introduction to other players, and club recommendations. She is a person of tremendous integrity, credibility, and great diplomatic skills—all qualities that are crucial to cultivating relationships among a group of very competitive individuals.”