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 Matt Modderno from Gaithersburg, Md. Over the past two years, Matt has played on over 20 League teams across Maryland, DC and Virginia! To share your story or send to someone you know, click here.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I work full-time for the FAA while attending grad school. And that’s in addition to my other full-time job, captaining USTA teams!

How has tennis impacted your life?

Tennis is my outlet. It’s helped me meet some of my best friends in life, blow off steam after a stressful work day, and its the only thing keeping me from being 300lbs.

When and how did you first become involved with the USTA?

I played my first league in 2010 during my senior year of college. I played pick-up tennis next to a guy who was very active in leagues so he got me on his teams and we are still good friends and teammates to this day.

Matt (far right) and his teammates took home a 4th place finish at USTA National Championships in 2016

When thinking about tennis’ role in your life, how do you feel?

I mostly feel satisfied, with some happiness and pride mixed in. I’ve met good people, gotten better at the sport, and been reasonably successful in league play.

What do you like most about tennis? What keeps you coming back to the sport?

Being able to compete. There aren’t many options for adults to compete in recreational sports where the people actually take it seriously. The grateful teammates who reach out and tell you that they had a good experience being on your team/teammates with you keeps me coming back.