WHM: Southern Tennis Foundation Chairman Bonnie Vandegrift

For Women's History Month, USTA Southern posed a series of questions to our Southern Tennis Foundation chairman and four women on the USTA Board of Directors.
 

Bonnie Vandegrift

Since moving to North Carolina thirty years ago, Bonnie Vandegrift has been in a leadership position championing tennis. Bonnie began playing tennis in Columbia, S.C. and quickly became an avid league and tournament player. In 1994, she and her husband, Mike, moved their family to Brevard, N.C. where they purchased the Brevard Racquet Club. Because there was no active league program in western North Carolina, she started the local league and served as the local league coordinator for nine years. She was also instrumental in starting the local CTA in Transylvania County.

Bonnie became involved in the USTA North Carolina, serving and chairing several committees. She went on to become president of USTA North Carolina from 2008-2009. She then served as president of the NC Tennis Foundation from 2010-2011. Bonnie has not just served North Carolina. She has served on numerous committees at USTA and USTA Southern, chairing both the Southern and National League Committees for four years. 

Bonnie was the USTA Southern Section President from 2019-2020 and now is leading the Southern Tennis Foundation. Bonnie is known as a national expert on league tennis. So much so that she received the USTA League Award in 2023. Bonnie was inducted into the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame in January of this year.

Here are Vandegrift's responses to our WHM questions:

Picking a favorite tennis memory is almost impossible. But I would say in recent history my favorite memory was attending the Laver Cup that was held in Geneva Switzerland in 2019. We saw three days of amazing tennis by many of the greatest players in the world, in a beautiful city and then followed it up with a two-week tour of the country. 

A fun fact is that I have never had a cup of coffee, not even half of a cup! 

When not playing tennis, I’d rather be on vacation with my kids and 10 grandchildren, making memories.

I guess the favorite tennis match I played in was a redemption match in the city league playoffs when my partner and I beat a team we had lost to the year before which prevented us from going to state. Redemption was sweet!

My dream doubles partner would be Roger Federer. I really enjoy mixed doubles and I think Roger would be very kind and a lot of fun to play with. 

I volunteer because I believe tennis is the absolute best sport for both children and adults. You can learn early and play your entire life. It is fun, social, competitive, good exercise and I have made lifelong friends through tennis. I want everyone to have access to the game and to enjoy the many benefits it offers.