This is Mid-Atlantic Tennis: Traci Spiegel's Story

This post is part of a series that tell the stories of how tennis has influenced people’s lives in the Mid-Atlantic Section. Meet Traci Spiegel of Woodbine, Md. To share your story or send to someone you know, click here.

Tell us a little about yourself

I’m a marketing consultant who helps small businesses grow. I work from my home and make my own schedule – primarily so I can put on and take off my two kids from the bus and also so I can make my own tennis schedule!

How did you get involved in tennis and what has your relationship to tennis been like?

In 2008 I was at my son’s pre-school and he and another boy were beating each other up on the playground. The other mom and myself broke it up and instantly bonded over having boys and life. She had three boys and said her husband told her she needed to find an outlet and get out of the house more. So she asked me to take a tennis lesson. I was almost 40 and never had played before. I said yes!

I had heard a lot of ladies in my community played but I was too nervous to go to any clinics alone. We took a group lesson and I fell in love with the game. We played on a USTA team together and then unfortunately my friend became ill with cancer and passed very quickly. I went on to keep playing and have found so much enjoyment from the game. I still fondly think of my friend and how it was because of her invitation to try something together that it brought so much to my life. I literally think of her every time I play.