Ponte Vedra Beach’s Mary Lou Overs Named Florida July Tennis Volunteer of the Month

Mary Lou Overs is a USTA League player, but wanted to do more.

So she volunteered to be a team captain. Then she wanted to do more to grow local tennis, so she volunteered for her local USTA League Advisory Committee. Then the Ponte Vedra Beach resident wanted to do more, so she put together a newsletter for league captains in her area.

“Do more,” if you haven’t figured it out, is Overs’ unofficial maxim.

Overs says she wants to do even more — growing USTA Leagues in Duval (Jacksonville) and St. Johns counties while planning for future expansion opportunities, as a large number of new communities in St. Johns County are in the planning.

“This lady is tireless when it comes to volunteering and captaining multiple teams,” says USTA Florida Local League Coordinator for the Jacksonville area Carson Phillips. “She is always there when needed and has helped with captain meetings here in Duval County, assisting with playoff activities, captaining multiple USTA League teams and serving on local league committees. She has our heartfelt gratitude for all of her service to our tennis community.”

The advisory board position, Overs says, has been an opportunity to not only grow tennis but to look at how the region competes among the rest of the state competition.

“The last time I was at sectionals I noticed that other regions had fall play as well as winter play in some leagues, and it seemed like those teams were performing better at sectionals,” Overs said. “Could it have been because they had more opportunities to compete together as teams? Carson listened to that input and now we have fall and winter play in that league. We will see if there is fruit from our labor at sectionals.”

Updating and maintaining the captains’ contact info, Overs recently started an e-newsletter to keep captains connected and up-to-date on opportunities.

“We include encouraging stories about sportsmanship as well as success at local league playoffs, sectional and national events,” she says. “We love photos and include as many team photos as possible. There is also a section for notes from the local league coordinator and another called the USTA Captain’s Corner containing links to resources for captains as well as photos of captains’ events.”

Adding to her tennis volunteer resume, Overs has assisted at USTA League local playoff events. Now due to additional local growth, a committee has been created to help coordinate and plan local league playoffs.

“I hope they remember to take photos and send them in [for the newsletter]!” she adds.

USTA Florida thanks and congratulates Mary Lou Overs as the July Florida Volunteer of the Month for her work volunteering at nearly all positions to grow tennis in Northeast Florida.

ABOUT MARY LOU

Birthplace: Limestone, Maine
Family: Ron Overs, Ashley Schupp, Kyle & Amanda Overs, Ron & Melissa Overs
Favorite Movie: You’ve Got Mail
Favorite Food: Scallops
Favorite Travel: Newport, R.I.
Favorite Shot: Inside-out forehand

My earliest tennis memory was…”Watching Chrissie Evert on TV.”

If I could play tennis with three people, they would be…”Rod Laver, Paul Annacone and Kim Clijsters.”

When I am not playing tennis I am…”hanging with my family and my Havanese pup, Aaron.”

My best tennis memory is…”International Tennis Hall of Fame events at the US Open — USTA President’s Dinner and tennis and Legend’s Ball.”

I like to volunteer in tennis because…”I enjoy being helpful.”