Montgomery’s tennis advocate Jewell Pitts passes

Pitts knew the names of nearly every player at junior events, middle school tournaments or Dream Court clinics. When the O’Connor Tennis Center in Montgomery had fallen into disrepair, Pitts made a plea to the City Council to have it fixed. Within a few months, the work was done.

“No matter what was needed for tennis, she made sure that she did it,” said Katrina Wilson, the junior tennis director at O’Connor Tennis Center. “That was her pride, passion and joy—to make sure she was at every event to take a picture, talk to a kid, or encourage a kid. She’d go from event to event during the day to lend her support.”

Wilson first met Pitts nearly a decade ago and quickly discovered why Pitts was so passionate about her advocacy.

“Back in the days when she played tennis, it was not offered to these kids. So, when she was able to make it happen for the kids, she made sure that every kid would have an opportunity to at least try the sport,” Wilson said. “And if they wanted to play it after, there should be no barriers. Everything was to break down all the barriers for the kids to play.”

Ben Bradshaw, an instructor at O’Connor who was voted in as USTA Alabama President this month, said the tennis community in the Montgomery area could always depend on Pitts to lend a helping hand whenever needed.

“Pretty much any time there was any event she would be there with her camera,” Bradshaw said. “All these things were done with energy, enthusiasm, encouragement, a smile, and always seemed to be done without a hint of selfishness, but looking to see how she could make things better for others.”

Infectious spirit, lasting legacy

Through her personality and sense of style, Pitts stood out from the crowd. She loved purple and had a pair of brightly colored shoes to match every outfit. During the Christmas season, Pitts carried a stuffed Grinch she named G Willy everywhere she went. Pitts even buckled him into the passenger seat of her Jeep.

At every USTA Alabama board meeting, Pitts would arrive with special doughnuts from a shop in Montgomery. No matter how hard they tried, the board members couldn’t resist having a few bites.

“She was just such a kind person, and I was so looking forward to her being president the next two years,” Burns said. “It’s just heartbreaking for all of us. She was so excited to go to the national meeting in Orlando because she'd never been to Orlando. And I was just as excited to spend that much time with her.”

Although Pitts will no longer be at the courts every day, her presence will remain in Montgomery. Her legacy lives on through all the children she’s impacted through tennis and all the good she did in the community.

“It's going to be different. I told someone it's going to be a hollow emptiness, because there's certain shoes you can never fill. Jewell’s shoes cannot be filled,” Wilson said. “She just meant so much to tennis around here.”