SIERRA JUNIOR TENNIS ASSOCIATION
A Community Tennis Association (CTA) and National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) Program
The Sierra Junior Tennis Association is a 501(C)3 organization founded in 1990 as a Community Tennis Association (CTA).
As a CTA, our goal is to grow the sport of tennis among the youth in Northern Nevada and Lake Tahoe through junior tennis programs and tournaments. Over the years, our programs have expanded to include intensive camps, team tennis, and support for our high school players. We have also established Tennis Buddies, a program for our adaptive athletes.
In 2017, we were honored to become a member of the USTA Foundation's National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) program. As a result, we have been able to expand our offering to bring tennis and education programs to the under-resourced youth in our community and offer numerous free community programs throughout the summer. Importantly, we also offer in-school and after-school programs and partner with like-minded partners in our region.
MISSION
To provide charitable and educational programs to promote the development of junior tennis as a means of healthful recreation and physical fitness in the Northern Nevada/Lake Tahoe region.
MEET OUR STAFF & COMMITTEE HEADS
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Christy Funk – Head of Operations
Christy has been involved in the Reno tennis community since 1994. She started as a USTA team member and then accepted the role as a captain several times over the years. She worked for the United States Tennis Association (USTA) from 2003 until 2008 as Eastern Sierra Community Tennis Coordinator where she promoted and developed the growth of tennis in our geographic sector which fostered cooperative relationships with member organizations, schools and the community. From 2000 to 2013 she was the assistant tennis director, and leagues and tournament director at the Caughlin Athletic Club throughout the years off and on. She owned and operated Funky Tennis from 2007 to 2013. She is a member of USTA and also the United States Professional Teaching Association (USPTA).
She served as head coach for the Bishop Manogue High School girls’ team from 2001 - 2002, the Wooster High School boys’ team from 2007 - 2008, and the Reno High School girls’ team from 2010 - 2015, and then as an assistant coach from 2016 - 2018.
Christy is semi-retired. However, she continues with SJTA for her enjoyment of the development of youth tennis. She has been with Sierra Junior Tennis Association (SJTA) since 2007 when it was known as Biggest Little Tennis Association and today she is the Head of Operations.
Candice Smith – Executive Director
Candice has been a volunteer with SJTA since 2017 and has served as Executive Director since 2022. Born and raised in Reno, Candice grew up playing tennis on the Plumas courts and Lakeridge Tennis Club, competing in local and northern California tournaments and was a member of the Reno High School tennis team. During high school and college, she worked with individuals with developmental disabilities and enjoyed volunteering with Special Olympics. She graduated with a degree in international affairs from UNR and earned her MBA in international business. Candice worked as an English teacher in rural Japan, where she met her husband and mixed doubles partner, Kyle, and as a financial analyst at Harvard University Real Estate and Planning. Candice loved being a stay-at-home mom for her three boys, and some of her favorite memories were watching them compete in SJTA and USTA tournaments and playing for Reno High School. When not playing tennis with family and friends, Candice loves cooking, travelling with her family, and hanging out with Banjo, the family’s Australian Shepherd.
Cindy Porath – Adaptive Programs
Cindy Porath has been involved with U.S.T.A. programs for over twenty years, training school teachers and with various school programs. She is currently the Director of Adaptive programs and an instructor for in-school programs through the Sierra Junior Tennis Association. She is an instructor in the Sparks Tennis Academy and volunteers with the girls’ team at Spanish Springs High School. Her love of tennis began at an early age, and she continues to share her passion of the game with the youth of the Reno and Sparks area.
She is a California native but has resided in Nevada since 1976. She retired from the Washoe County School District where she was a teaching assistant in numerous Title One Schools.
Her goal is to introduce the game of tennis to as many youths as possible in a fun environment and to help all children, regardless of their skill level, be successful in this lifelong sport!
MEET OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Remy Bernarda – President
Remy Bernarda has been a member of the SJTA Board of Directors since May 2017 and has served as President since 2021. As a Reno native, her love of all things tennis began at age 7 growing up playing on the public courts at the Plumas tennis courts (now Reno Tennis Center) and Wingfield Park. Remy competed in all of the local tournaments and events and was a member of the Bishop Manogue tennis team. Most importantly, she cherishes the lifelong friendships she made through participation in tennis. This background is one of the reasons Remy is passionate about growing the game of tennis in the Northern Nevada/Lake Tahoe community. In addition to tennis, she is an ardent sports fan and leads an active outdoor lifestyle and also loves to travel and read.
In her day job, Remy has over 25 years of experience in finance, investor relations and communications focused primarily in healthcare. Over her career, she has initiated and managed investor relations, corporate and clinical communications, and marketing programs for several companies both in-house and as external advisor. Remy began her career on Wall Street working in institutional sales and trading administration at Goldman Sachs and Knight Equity Markets, and investment banking at Bear Stearns. She holds an M.B.A. and a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Pepperdine University. Remy is an active participant in the investor relations community – she is designated as a Fellow by National Investor Relations Institute (NIRI) and is currently a member of the Board of Directors for the organization.
Michelle McKibbin – Vice President
Kristine Wymore – Secretary
Deborah Alarcon – Founder and Board Member
Kyle Rinehart – Board Member
Kyle Rinehart started volunteering with SJTA in 2018 and has been a member of the SJTA Board of Directors since 2020. He enjoys playing tennis recreationally, whether in USTA leagues or with friends. Kyle also enjoys playing tennis with his wife, who usually wins, and three sons, who were regional high school doubles champions for northern Nevada. Kyle proudly accepts his position at the bottom of the family tennis ladder! Kyle enjoys coaching kids in any sport. Before tennis, Kyle worked as a swimming coach and volunteered as a soccer coach. Kyle is a partner at the law firm Klarquist Sparkman LLP, which specializes in intellectual property law and has offices in Portland, Reno, and Santa Rosa. Before law school, Kyle was an English teacher in rural Japan, where he met his wife, Candice, who is the Executive Director of SJTA. In his free time, Kyle enjoys playing games with family, playing pinball, and fixing up old pinball machines.
AGENDA & MINUTES
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The Sierra Junior Tennis Association is a non-profit organization and all meetings are held in the evening and open to the public. If you plan to attend a future meeting, or would like to be on the agenda, please contact us via email at tennis@sierrajuniortennis.org.
TENNIS HALL-OF-FAME INDUCTEES
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The Hall-of-Fame recognizes individuals in our community who developed, promoted, or volunteered to make a difference in junior tennis in the Northern Nevada/Lake Tahoe region for several years. The SJTA congratulates and honors these individuals:
2022 Christy Marsh Brenner
2020 Andres Durandegui
2018 Cindy Porath
2013 Diane Baker-Roberts
2012 Michelle McKibbin
2011 Jeff Day
2009 Christy M. Funk
2008 Edward Feinhandler
2007 Bob Phelps
2006 Deborah L. Alarcon
2005 Patrick Fagen
2000 Kurt Richter & Pam Dice-Delnagro
1999 Scott Buell & Bob Nelson-Korland
1998 Steve Topol & Kerwin Foley**
1997 Bonni Sue Hickson & Benno Baumann*
1996 Bob Deller & Bob Fairman**
1995 Bill Ralf* & John Lohse
1994 Will Chism & Cathy Cope
1993 Hutch Nenzel*, Tilly Botti*, & Elaine Deller-Tone
*deceased ** Posthumous
WAYS TO DONATE
Thank you for your tax deductible donation to the SJTA, a 501(C)3 organization.
Contact Us
Email Address
Address
P.O. Box 6928, Reno, NV 89513
SJTA NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
The Sierra Junior Tennis Association does not, by policy or practice, discriminate against a person or group on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, gender identity and expression, marital or military status, or based on any individual's status in any group or class protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.
