Volunteer extraordinaire wins Marilyn Sherman Spirit Award

Rena Scofield first attempted to play tennis in high school. She spent a month taking lessons with a friend to prepare for tryouts, but it didn’t work out as planned. Scofield, 29, didn’t pick up a racquet again until a few years ago when she began hitting with her husband.

Scofield fell in love with the sport and realized how much she had missed out on as a child. The Montgomery, Alabama, native wondered how she could get more people to discover the joy of the game.

This motivation led to Scofield volunteering as much of her time as possible at tennis events. She quit her nonprofit job and enrolled at Auburn University full-time in 2024 to get her master’s in business administration (MBA) to pursue a career more directly related to sports.

Scofield’s dedication to tennis was recently recognized by USTA Southern. She is the 2025 recipient of the Marilyn Sherman Spirit Award, which is given annually to an individual who demonstrates great passion and enthusiasm for growing the game. A longtime USTA Southern Director, Adult Tennis, Sherman currently works for USTA and leads Red Ball Tennis.

“I was so shocked when I found out,” Scofield said. “I was speechless, because I know Marilyn Sherman. I actually met her over the summer, and I work with her now. Just seeing her energy every time she talks about tennis–that is who I aspire to be. I'm so honored to be able to get this award.”

Working part-time for USTA

Scofield served an internship with USTA over the summer at the USTA National Campus in Orlando. She spent 10 weeks in the role and now works part-time for the USTA as a project specialist with the Participation & Play Department. Her ultimate goal is to work full-time for the USTA to continue her advocacy for tennis.

“It’s so much fun. I love the social aspect and just the exercise that you get,” Scofield said. “It's the world's healthiest sport, and being healthy has always been a priority of mine.”

Scofield has volunteered at numerous events and locations, including Dream Court, the US Open and Auburn’s Yarborough Tennis Center. In 2025, she spent 10,140 minutes doing volunteer work.

“I love volunteering because I'm not in a spot financially where I can donate hundreds of millions of dollars. So, the best way I can give back is through my time,” she said. “Whether it's working the tournament desk or greeting people as a guest services volunteer or being the assistant director for a tournament–whatever I can do to help–I like to insert myself. Because in my mind, that's the best way to grow the game and get more people involved in the sport.”

Work at Yarborough Tennis Center

Melissa Shaver, the tennis events manager at Yarborough Tennis Center, has appreciated all the work Scofield has done at the facility, which was recognized this year by the USTA as one of the top six facilities in the Public Courts: Large Tennis Centers (12 or more courts) category.

“Rena is an exceptional volunteer whose dedication and passion for tennis truly stand out. She is a hard worker, a fast learner and consistently brings great energy to every event,” Shaver said. “Rena works seamlessly with all age groups, volunteers for a wide variety of activities and is committed to growing the sport and supporting the community as a whole. Her enthusiasm and reliability make her an invaluable asset to our tennis community.”

Scofield regularly helps at Dream Court, a nonprofit that provides adaptive tennis programs for individuals with physical, developmental and intellectual disabilities. Dream Court was founded in Scofield’s hometown of Montgomery in 2013, and she got involved once she moved back home after college.

"It's just really rewarding to be able to teach someone how to play the sport, especially when people think that they might not necessarily be able to have a normal experience, whether a child or an adult,” Scofield said. “People with special needs are very close to my heart because I worked with them in my previous job, so just being able to coach and teach them tennis and have so much fun with them is really rewarding.”

Given all the years she missed by not playing tennis in her youth, Scofield has already established long-term goals in the sport.

“People think I'm crazy when I say this, but I can't wait to be 50 so I can play in the Senior Olympics,” she said.