Patricia—also known as Tricia, Trish, or Barton—came to Calgary after graduating from university in Halifax, NS. After 20 years in Calgary, she moved to Vancouver, BC, where she spent another 20 years living in various cities across the Lower Mainland. She returned to Calgary in March 2020 to retire.
Tricia is an avid tennis competitor, a lifelong learner, and can often be found on court with a coach across the net.
Under the guidance of coaches at Rico’s Tennis Academy, Tricia transitioned from serving right-handed to left-handed and is now able to hit overheads with either hand. As she says, “Gotta love the lefty serve. In matches, it’s good for a couple of games before my opponent realizes what’s going on—if they notice at all.”
Tricia is a past member of the Board of Directors for the University of Calgary Dinosaurs Tennis Society.
She has also been involved in officiating in both Alberta and British Columbia as a Line and Roving Umpire. Most recently, she has volunteered at the Calgary National Bank Challenger events.
“There’s nothing better than seeing and hearing the sound of a tennis ball hitting the sweet spot on your racquet, watching it spin high over the net and out of reach of your opponent. That’s satisfying. That’s why I play tennis. That feeling is addictive. That’s what makes me smile.”
As a competitor, fan, former official, and volunteer, Tricia hopes her enthusiasm for tennis will inspire youth to build friendships and self-confidence, improve hand-eye coordination, have fun, and discover that “feeling” that keeps them coming back for more.