Local Highlight: Sets in the City Dallas

USTA Texas is proud to highlight the diverse groups and ways people throughout Texas are playing and loving tennis.

“Every Tuesday ends with a battle,” says Melissa Romig. “But after the battle, we’re back to being family.”

The family to which Romig refers is her remarkably successful Novice Night, a weekly drop-in tennis session geared toward the LGBTQ community. Now in its seventh year - with scores of players and more than one million touches on a ball - Novice Night is a superb example of inclusive tennis that feels just like family.

The night reflects the vision of Marilyn Sherman, who founded the Dallas group Sets in the City. Sherman, now the National Promotions Manager of Leagues, for USTA, envisioned a space for the lesbian community on the courts, and SITC was born.

When Sherman returned to USTA HQ, the women of SITC continued the legacy. For the last decade, the group has fielded highly regarded teams for USTA play, funded DTA scholarships, and, of course, keeps its flagship program, Novice Night, popping.

“We’ve had weddings, funerals, and babies. And we just keep growing - we always get strangers who see us playing, and they ask to join,” Romig says, laughing. “The energy is infectious. New players come back, and we’ve built a fantastic group of allies.”

So, after hundreds of Tuesday night battles, what’s the secret to Novice Night’s endurance? Romig boils it down: “All it takes is a middle-aged lady willing to feed 500 balls on a Tuesday night for free.”

CLICK HERE: https://www.sitcdallas.com/ to learn more about Sets in the City Dallas