San Francisco All-Around Performer Natalie Dillon Competing at USTA Girls’ 18 National Championships in Berkeley, Aug. 3-10 By Amy Mosely August 4, 2008

8/5/08 5:51 PM

San Francisco All-Around Performer Natalie Dillon

Natalie Dillon is one of 192 finalists competing in the prestigious USTA Girls’ 18 National Championships now under way. Natalie will play both singles and doubles matches here. An only child and a public parks kid, Natalie grew up a block from the Mission playground in San Francisco, where she started hitting tennis balls at the age of seven. Her parents don’t play tennis, but Natalie discovered her love for this sport and has stuck with it. She played competitively, often five days a week with the Youth Tennis Advantage, a group that promotes the sport for inner city kids. As she got older, Natalie did some work for Youth Tennis Advantage, and remains in contact with coaches there. (Youth Tennis Advantage is the recipient of the tournament’s proceeds). Natalie seems to enjoy her high school tennis team as much as traveling to tournaments. “I like the team environment. You get close with team players, cheering each other on. You’re not just playing for yourself.”

Her record shows that she is ranked 6th in Northern California the Girls’ 18 and under division, and she’s traveled as far as England and Thailand to compete in tournaments. Her favorite trip was to Thailand, which she says was “the biggest cultural shock for me, and the biggest learning experience.” Natalie earned a wildcard into the distinguished San Francisco Tennis Classic singles and doubles qualifier draw on the ITF Women’s tour, as well.

“She’s a fantastic all-around person,” says Craig Law, her private coach.  “Natalie is very competitive.  In the off-season, she’ll spend three hours a day in the gym.  “As well, she strives to balance sports, academics, family and social life. She is equally concerned with her personal development as a whole person.  She gets out and has fun,” says her coach.  With a 3.7 GPA, Natalie successfully achieves this balance well.  While she doesn’t miss much school because of tennis, Natalie notes that she has missed every birthday for the last seven years, due to being on the road during August, for tennis. Recently, friends surprised her and took her to Benihana to celebrate her birthday this year. She was delighted.

Natalie is also a track and field star in school, at St. Ignatius College Preparatory School, where she runs the 300-meter hurdles on the varsity track team. “I hold the best time, and made the CCS finals,” Natalie says. Natalie has been on the Student Council for two years, and this year she’ll be the Girls Athletic Representative.

Her activities don’t stop there. Natalie is fighting for social justice, and has started a club at her high school that has gotten attention from other high schools to replicate across the country. She and a friend started a club called, “Not for Sale,” to raise awareness about human trafficking, based on David Batstone’s book, Not for Sale: The Return of the Global Slave Trade – and How We Can Fight It.

“It’s a huge social injustice. It happens everywhere. Not a lot of people know about it. I’m in a privileged space to put some light on it and teach people about the issue,” Natalie explains. She has given speeches in Georgia, Louisiana, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.

Heading into her senior year, Natalie has already figured out what interests her. Her college areas of study will include business, political science, and international relations, And tennis too? “I couldn’t imagine my life without it,” Natalie says.

For media questions, contact USTAGIRLSTENNIS@gmail.com or call Anita Bloch at 510-220-1959 or Brenda Mathews at 510-316-7282