On a weekend afternoon in April at the Amy Yee Tennis Center in Seattle, a group of eight gathered to play mixed doubles. Some had been playing tennis for many years, while for others, this was one of the first times they had picked up a racket. This social event is hosted weekly by the Seattle Tennis Alliance (STA), an LGBTQ+ club that aims to bring people together through playing the sport at all levels.
“I thought that we had a great turnout last Sunday,” Andrew Zarate, event coordinator, told the SGN. “We had two new drop-in players, one of them a beginner, and several of our regulars showed up. Our weekly social doubles events are pretty popular, and it’s a great way to meet other players around your level or even across different playing levels.”
The STA is a nonprofit volunteer group that has existed for over 35 years, beginning as a collection of friends playing tennis in Capitol Hill in the 1980s. The club now serves over 100 active members in the Seattle area.
Beyond the social events, the STA also participates in a variety of club and cup competitions as a registered organization of the United States Tennis Association. As STA President Ian Guenther explained to the SGN, accommodating members from all backgrounds and capabilities is a primary objective for the club.
“I get emails constantly from people that are like, ‘Hey, I just wanna start. I haven't played [tennis] before,’” Guenther said.
Active STA members can guide new ones on advancing to a skill level they are comfortable with, Guenther noted. Through membership, players not only compete but also make deeper connections through travel and participation on the STA board.
“We can really help guide you, and we can get you slotted in the right place so that you feel comfortable,” Guenther added.
A transplant from Philadelphia, Guenther had been on a nine-year break from tennis during which he “lost being in touch” with the sport.
“When I moved out here, everyone had mentioned a ‘Seattle freeze,’ that you're not going to be able to make any friends. You really need to kind of put yourself out there into an organization” he said.
Looking online to make some connections, Guenther said he was surprised to discover the STA, as he was unaware that an organization like that existed. After a couple of STA events, Guenther decided to become more involved with the club, making the jump to the board as vice president and then to his current position.
“I'm on a couple of other boards. I work in the nonprofit world, and so I thought it was another great opportunity,” Guenther said. “To just become more well-rounded, get more engaged with the group that I thought I could have an impact with, and I took the opportunity from there.”
Increasing the numbers
One of the main near-future goals for the organization is improving membership numbers and relations within the club.
“I’d like us to continue to grow our membership, and in particular our women’s and Genderqueer community, and continue to hold more diverse events for our members,” Neesha Pinnaduwage, a board member, told the SGN.
Guenther shared similar thoughts on the hope for added exposure. Growing the membership has been a challenge for the STA. Guenther explained that similar clubs in places like Vancouver have nearly three times the membership than Seattle does. The “Seattle freeze” has been considered a reason for the struggle. “I think it just is a little bit tougher here with culture and keeping people engaged,” Guenther noted.
Relationship building
Guenther said that STA is intent on building relationships with businesses in the community. The club is currently seeking sponsorships and donations through its website.
“We especially want to be a part of the community so that we can bring business to other LGBTQ companies, we can have a name in the community,” he said.
The association is one of more than 30 LGBTQ+ sports leagues in Seattle, according to the United States Gay Sports Network. These leagues provide an outlet and a safe space to engage in both fun and competitive play across a variety of sports. The club’s main demographic are those who identify as LGBTQIA+, but STA welcomes anyone who wants to engage in focused social activity and seeks connection through sports.
In addition to tennis socials, club teams, and hosting local, regional, and national events, the club has volunteered for charity food drives and community kitchens in the Seattle area.
The STA has many events this year, and will host the Seattle Classic tournament at the University of Washington on August 22–24.
“It is an international tournament that anybody can sign up for,” Guenther said. “We cap out around 120–130 players every year in the past, and we've had about eight countries represented.”
This will be the 31st year that the STA is hosting the classic, and events will be held in both singles and doubles for all genders across five separate divisions of competition. Furthermore, the organization will host two regional cup tournaments this August against players from Vancouver (BC), Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, according to board member Andrew Zarate.
Those interested in learning more about the STA and upcoming events can follow it on Instagram at @SeattleTennisAlliance and checkout its website at seattletennisalliance.org .
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