Andrea Meyer of Clarkdale, a longtime tennis instructor who has worked with developmentally challenged boys and girls, was named one of this year’s Billie Jean King Champions of Equality recipients by the United States Tennis Association.
The Champions of Equality Award is given to trailblazers who advocate for accessibility to the sport, particularly for minority groups. Meyer was among 17 recipients for 2024.
Meyer, a coach for more than 25 years, has dedicated her career to creating a space within tennis for female athletes, the neurodiverse population, immigrants and at-risk youths.
“Tennis is one of those sports where it’s a real mistake to look for perfection,” Meyer said. “You have to learn to govern your mind. It teaches you to be resilient.”
Meyer began her tennis career at the age of 13, in 1972, just days after Title IX became law.
At first, she was hesitant to try out for the freshman team at Cholla High School in Tucson. By the time the spring season came around, Meyer had worked her way to No. 5 on the varsity team and received multiple scholarships to tennis training camps.
“I remember just feeling so enthralled with the feeling of hitting the tennis ball,” Meyer said. “When you’re the recipient of so much generosity, you have a duty to give back. That’s part of the reward and battery-charging that comes with tennis.”
After Meyer graduated from the University of Arizona with her master’s degree in 1987, she began coaching tennis in the southeast Arizona community of Bowie. From there, she moved to Mingus High School in Cottonwood. She learned the importance of encouraging young players, regardless of skill level.
“Every year, there’s somebody that I don’t think is going to make a good tennis player on my team,” Meyer said. “It’s always that kid who comes back and shows you or says to you, tennis was important to me.”
Beyond just the enjoyment of the sport itself, seeing the impact of tennis on players’ lives inspired Meyer to approach her coaching with a no-cut approach to her teams. It benefited her as well, she said.
“From my players who are autistic, I learn a lot by their intelligence and to be delighted by the things that they’re delighted by,” Meyer said. “With the foreign exchange students on my team, they bring forward an enlarged worldview to the Verde Valley.”
Meyer, who experienced the barriers women in athletics face, worked to create an equitable environment for several female athletes. Meyer said her coaching style is inspired by the acronym BEAST — Body Language, Energy, Attitude, Self-Talk, and Team.
“They (female athletes) are going to have to have that assertiveness in life,” Meyer said. “I remember it was difficult for me when I started. I teach them that BEAST is all in their control, on their side of the court.”
To further create accessibility to the sport, Meyer has held several tennis events, including a cardio tennis night for the Clarkdale Police Department.
“I saw a different side of the officers than what you usually see when they’re in uniform,” Meyer said. “I think when people in high-stress situations can get out and have a little free will on some tennis courts, it’s good for everybody.”
Another thing that helps motivate Meyer is the work tennis great Billie Jean King did for the female sports community. King’s fame on the court began to skyrocket around the time Meyer took up the game as a girl in the 1970s. After she retired, she remained a champion of women’s rights, particularly in athletics.
“Billie Jean King once said, ‘Champions adapt’,” Meyer said. “One of my favorite challenges about tennis is this constant evolution of what you’ve done, where you need to go, and having that presence of mind to be in the moment, instead of criticizing yourself.”
Among this year’s other recipients was Bunny Bruning, who competed in the main draws of all four Grand Slam tournaments and was runner-up in the Wimbledon Plate in 1976. That award was given at the time for a competition consisting of players eliminated in the early rounds of the main Wimbledon tournament.
Meyer says being honored by the USTA alongside other inspiring women inspires her to keep redefining herself as a coach.
“I look at what I’ve done and I say, ‘Well, I’m a small wheel in a small valley, and there’s still so much to do’,” Meyer said. “I don’t think tennis is a sport that everyone is going to love, but it’s a sport that creates confidence. And that’s just the beginning.”
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona coach wins USTA Champions of Equality Award
