July 31st, 2025
Alachua County’s Nicole Black named USTA Florida Tennis Volunteer of the Month
Nicole Black’s tennis journey is a testament to passion, perseverance, and the power of community. After first picking up a racquet in middle school, she didn’t touch one again until 2020, but once she did, she never looked back and now is the USTA Florida Volunteer of the Month for July.
“I didn’t make the soccer team in 7th grade, but tennis tryouts were still happening, and I made the team,” she said. “I played that year and then didn’t touch a racquet again until I was 47 years old.”
That year was 2020, and Nicole reignited her love for tennis by playing casually. Then in 2022 she jumped into USTA leagues and found her new passion. She started playing a lot more, which also led to her being the captain of one of her teams.
“One of my favorite things as a captain is to have someone who is newer to the sport like I was not too long ago, and emphasizing that tennis is a game of errors, everyone makes them, so let’s be competitive and be sure to have fun and grow,” she said. “I also love to keep people involved in the sport that has given so much to me.”
She keeps that mentality up even when she’s just a player and recently she competed at the 40 & Over 3.0 Sectional Championships. Her team found their backs against the wall but even though she wasn’t a captain of this team, Nicole was able to help everyone rally together and push through to win the championship and secure a spot at Nationals.
Her peers have also noticed how she is a great leader and fun person to be around. “I’ve been fortunate to witness firsthand what true leadership looks like,” one player said. “She is incredibly kind, highly organized, and, most importantly, consistently communicative.”
Off the court, Nicole is a doctor in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Winnie Palmer Hospital for women and babies. She’s also a mom to two kids, five cats, and a wife to a to her husband.
She has a giant heart to give back and help others, whether it’s her day-to-day job or volunteering on the tennis court. USTA Florida congratulates and thanks Nicole for all she does both on and off the tennis courts.
Interested in volunteering for tennis? Visit ustaflorida.com/volunteers to learn more about available opportunities. Know anyone else doing extraordinary volunteer work? Click below to nominate and have them recognized!
