For a few years now, RMA has hosted Tennis for Tyler–a friendly tournament in which students, parents, and RMA families come together to play tennis in honor of the Class of 2005’s Elizabeth Tyler Strandberg. This year’s event was held last weekend as part of RMA’s Homecoming festivities.
One of Tyler’s senior yearbook quotes was, “Turns out not where but who you’re with that really matters,” and that focus on relationships led to a life of service. After graduating from UNC-Chapel Hill, where she majored in psychology, Tyler moved out to Wyoming to pursue a career as a residential counselor for developmentally disabled children at C-V Ranch. Tyler also volunteered with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and worked with the Jackson Hole Adaptive Skiing Program, which helps disabled children learn to ski. In August 2015, the Jackson Hole community, the Strandberg family, and RMA experienced a devastating loss when Tyler passed away at the age of 27.
The school has chosen to remember Tyler through this annual event because Tyler was a big part of RMA’s tennis program. She played varsity tennis and was state-ranked in 2005. Tennis for Tyler was held this year on September 23, 2023, as students and parents gathered to play each other. Hosted by sophomore Elizabeth Paszek, the event ran from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at NC Wesleyan after being relocated due to the rain from Tropical Storm Ophelia. The tournament had 62 participants (made into 31 doubles groups) that included RMA faculty, alumni, and students. There were four flights, and around 8 teams played one another by using a ladder system, meaning that the winners would move up a court, while the losers would move down a court. This way, everyone got to play multiple doubles teams with similar levels of play. I would say it was successful because we raised over $2,000 for Tyler’s Foundation!
This year, I participated in this event for the first time and loved it! Even though the weather was not ideal, everyone had smiles on their faces and seemed like they were happy to be there. Most people think they have to play tennis to participate in Tennis for Tyler, but that’s not the case. Going into the tournament, I had little experience with tennis and was nervous about playing in front of so many other people, but it was such a friendly atmosphere. Everyone was so supportive that I quickly realized it didn’t matter how well I played; it was just important to be there to honor Tyler. I enjoyed every moment of it and wished I had participated previously, so I encourage you to sign up next year even if it means getting out of your comfort zone.
