ALTA prides itself on its impressive and sportsmanlike members, and captains hold a special place within the ALTA organization.
One such captain is Catherine Howard. She has captained several teams out of Wynbrooke in Stone Mountain. “In 2008, I was approached by the president of the Wynbrooke HOA to join a tennis team. I was athletic, but as an adult I had never played tennis,” says Howard. She added that she hired a coach and began her tennis journey, quickly falling in love with the sport.
Howard made a flyer and handed it out in the subdivision, asking for players to join a beginner C-level team. Many ladies responded, so she started a team. During that time, she attended a City Finals in which her friend was playing. “The atmosphere was very exciting, and I decided that my goal was to win at least one city championship,” Howard said. She did just that. In 2010, her Sunday Women’s League C2 team won its first City Championship after winning the division several times previously.
Howard then went on a recruiting rampage and started captaining Mixed Doubles teams, Senior League teams, and Sunday Women’s League teams. As a captain, she has had great success winning division titles in addition to making it to City Finals and winning City Championships. “It is like a rags to riches story,” she says. “I am very thrilled with my hobby, especially since I started as an adult.” She also gives credit to the sport as it gave her strength when she had to battle breast cancer, which she says she defeated and came out on top. “I really enjoy being a part of ALTA and look forward to many more years. Maybe I’ll just be a player and let someone else step up to captain,” Howard said.
