91����

Back and forth. Back and forth.

Pain can be like that; it can come and go. And with tennis, at least for a little while, the pain can go. Allison Goldman ’00, once a varsity tennis player for 91����, knows that. Since her father first put a racket in her hands at the age of 3, and later coming back from an illness that once rendered her unable to walk, tennis helped push her forward not just physically, but mentally.

People suggested to Goldman that maybe it could do the same for veterans.

With that urging, Goldman co-founded Tennis Serving Vets in 2018, a place for veterans to create community and play tennis for growth in physical and mental health — and patrons are never charged a dime.

“The first event at the Yonkers Tennis Center had about 50 to 70 attendees. It was an unbelievable response,” says Goldman, who is also executive director of the organization. “People were incredibly excited to play. Their problems would sometimes melt away for a bit. They could just focus on tennis.”

Even simply attending the event could help. Some veterans had been house-bound, but Goldman said that being around people or cheering them on in a match could make a big difference.

Goldman has seen the effect of the organization on the social, physical and mental health of individuals served. In one case, it even put a roof over someone’s head.

“We had one veteran who had been coming around and was homeless,” she says. “I got to know him, and eventually he asked me for help. We were able to connect him with someone who helped find him a place. It’s all about connections and community.”

Tennis Serving Vets also partners with an organization called HERO INC. The mission of HERO INC. is to provide quality recreation for all people with disabilities.

The tennis gatherings, which usually have around 20 to 30 people, take place once a week during the better tennis-weather months, and once to twice a month otherwise.

Outdoor tennis gatherings are now at Anthony F. Veteran Park in the Westchester (N.Y.) town of Ardsley, and in winter 2024, veterans played at Greenburgh Indoor Tennis in White Plains.

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Tennis Serving Vets and HERO INC. even take the veterans to the biggest tennis event in the country.

Goldman, who worked for many years at the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and USTA Eastern, has been able, through her connections, to take veterans to the U.S. Open every year — but not just to watch.

“Veterans get to take center court on Arthur Ashe Stadium and play, and the crowd goes crazy for them,” she says. “It shows them that they haven’t been forgotten. And what could be better for one of the great sporting events in the U.S. than to have U.S. veterans? It’s a beautiful fit.”

It’s also special for Goldman to share the U.S. Open with the veterans, as she has attended the event personally for many years, she says. The only U.S. Opens she has missed were between 1996 and 2000, because she had to get back to 91���� to prepare for the upcoming collegiate tennis season.

“Living in the New York City area, it’s such a special event that takes over the city and gets tennis on everyone’s brain,” she says. “To see veterans take in the experience, to feel the energy, I love sharing it with them. We all bond over it.”

Goldman has been able to attract other supporters for the organization. From Whole Foods supplying treats to events to the Good Dog Foundation bringing canines to interact with veterans, the sponsor response has been strong. Goldman is good at connecting for a cause, partly from her previous experience working with the USTA Foundation on its annual U.S. Open Pro-Am, a special fundraising event that occurs during and on-site at the U.S. Open. The Pro-Am allows for players who donate to the cause to be placed on-court with famous tennis players. The fundraising proceeds help people play tennis throughout the country.

It is Goldman’s hope for Tennis Serving Vets to be mimicked regionally or nationally — and it doesn’t have to be reserved for tennis.

“It could be another sport which organizers are interested in,” she says. “It’s just about getting veterans the connections they need and deserve. They stood up for us. We need to stand up for them.”

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Sharing the game with veterans means the world to Goldman, because tennis has always been a huge part of her life.

“I was very short, and my opponents were usually really tall,” she says. “Some of my on-court strategy was to rely on shots like my low backhand slice, which gave them lots of trouble and threw off their rhythm. I also loved to hit the ball with a lot of pace off of both my backhand and forehand sides. But you can’t win solely with pace; you have to throw in other types of shots to mix up the game.

“The game of tennis has you always thinking, always playing moves ahead. That’s part of how it can provide a distraction for veterans from problems, at least for a little while. I loved the feeling of playing in junior events since I was about 7 years old. You end up thinking about the game while you’re eating dinner!”

And the experiences stay with you as it did with her, she says.

“I think about my matches and experiences from 91���� varsity every day: the people I was able to play with and the challenge of fitting it with your studies,” she says. “I remember studying in between matches and how you balanced everything. You had to miss some social events sometimes, but those sacrifices are necessary to play varsity college tennis. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I loved it.”

Goldman gives her time to Tennis Serving Vets for free. So, it shouldn’t shock that her job, presently director of business development, U.S. territory, on contract with VTEC Tennis Esports, is for a company that has a virtual-reality product for tennis.

“I just can’t seem to get away from the game — and I don’t want to,” she says with a laugh. “Beyond winning tournaments or titles, or even being a great player, it’s about community, it’s about being active, it’s about something you can do for the rest of your life. We have people playing through Tennis Serving Vets that were in the Korean War. We get done with an event and, if we still have court time, they’re out there loving it. It’s not just about winning for them; it’s about wanting to play. I know the feeling!”