WCRS

WCRS Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlight: Gabriela Garces

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we are proud to spotlight Gabriela Garces—a dynamic racquet sports professional, somatic health coach, and leader redefining performance, resilience, and human potential.

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Gabriela’s journey has been shaped by reinvention, immigration, discipline, and deep personal growth. Tennis was her first teacher—instilling structure, competitiveness, and mental toughness—but her evolution revealed something greater: true performance is not just technical—it is neurological, emotional, and embodied.

Over the past decade, Gabriela has built a multifaceted career in racquet sports, developing athletes across all ages and levels. From her early work in 10 & Under development and high-performance junior academies, including ESTRADA and ESTA Academies, to her contributions with USTA Net Generation and ADV tournaments, she has played a vital role in grassroots development and long-term athlete growth.

Her impact expanded into adult performance and team culture at Reunion Resort, where she fostered both technical excellence and strong team environments. As the sport evolved, so did Gabriela—embracing multi-racquet coaching across tennis, pickleball, and padel.

Today, she serves as Racquet Sports Professionals Association Sports Professional and Junior Coordinator at Isleworth Golf & Country Club, where she leads comprehensive junior development while continuing to coach adult players and competitive teams.

Beyond the court, Gabriela is also a Health and Somatic Coach, helping individuals reconnect mind and body, regulate their nervous systems, and build sustainable transformation. Her work is grounded in the belief that mental health impacts everyone, and she actively contributes to the global movement, using tools like STARR (Stress & Trauma Active Release & Rewiring) to build proactive resilience.

As the Founder of Cardinal Shift LLC, Gabriela integrates sport psychology, somatic awareness, and identity-level coaching to help individuals break limiting patterns and step into their full potential—both in sport and in life.
Her vision goes far beyond developing athletes. Gabriela is committed to shaping resilient, self-aware, and empowered human beings—individuals who understand their nervous systems, navigate stress with confidence, and thrive without needing to break down first.

💙 Thank you, Gabriela, for your leadership, authenticity, and for transforming lives on and off the court.

July brought continued momentum in building opportunities for Love Serving Autism. 💙

With support from the Gusman Network, LSA submitted $70,000 in new grant requests, with an additional $110,325 in pending requests supporting programs and expansion efforts.

We’re grateful for the continued work behind the scenes to help expand access and create more opportunities for individuals with autism and unique abilities.

Together, we’re building toward greater impact.

WCRS SPOTLIGHT: MILLIE DIDIO

Leadership. Experience. Service. Advocacy.

This month, WCRS is proud to celebrate Millie Didio—an accomplished coach, former WTA/ITF professional player, educator, leader, and passionate advocate for women in racquet sports.

An Racquet Sports Professionals Association Elite Certified Tennis Professional, certified pickleball and padel professional, and former two-time WTA/ITF Tour player, Millie brings a wealth of experience and passion to everything she does.

Her impact extends far beyond the court. As a former USPTA/RSPA Eastern President and current Immediate Past President, Millie continues to champion female coach development, education, mentorship, networking, and leadership opportunities.

Her dedication has been recognized with the 2021 USPTA Eastern Major Contributor Award and 2022 USPTA Eastern Pro of the Year Award.

Beyond racquet sports, Millie is also a longtime humanitarian, supporting initiatives focused on education, women, youth, and community development—including helping bring tennis opportunities to communities and schoolchildren in Ghana.

Millie’s leadership is a reminder that true impact is measured not only by what we accomplish, but by the people we inspire, the opportunities we create, and the legacy we leave behind.

WCRS is proud to celebrate Millie Didio and her continued commitment to growing the game and creating more opportunities for women to lead!

Congratulations, Shimwe Sentya!

WCRS proudly celebrates PTM alum Shimwe Sentya (2024) on receiving the RSPA Midwest Division Next Generation Award!

This well-deserved honor recognizes your passion, dedication, and bright future in the racquet sports industry.

Congratulations, Shimwe! Keep inspiring, leading, and making your mark!

Her Serve is HERE!

WCRS is excited to bring our next Her Serve educational & networking event to the historic West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills!

A great day of networking, meaningful conversations, sharing ideas, and discussing the issues shaping women in racquet sports.

Grateful for the opportunity to connect, learn, and continue building a stronger future for women in our industry!

✨ Women Coaching Racquet Sports Spotlight: Jill Victoria Rokuskova✨

At WCRS, we are proud to celebrate the women who are making a lasting impact on and off the court. This month, we are honored to spotlight Jill Victoria Rokuskova, whose journey reflects the power of resilience, leadership, and community.

Growing up in Germany and traveling to the Czech Republic to train and compete, tennis became Jill's second home. The sport taught her resilience through challenges, confidence through growth, and the importance of meaningful connections lessons that continue to shape her life more than 18 years later.

After completing the USTA Racquet Sports Management Apprenticeship at the USTA National Campus, Jill now serves as the Operations Manager at the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis & Pickleball Center, where she is passionate about creating welcoming experiences for players of every age and ability.

Throughout her career, Jill has coached players of all levels, coordinated youth programs, served as both a USTA and ITA certified official, and volunteered with Love Serving Autism. She believes the greatest victories happen beyond the scoreboard when a player gains confidence, discovers a sense of belonging, or realizes they are capable of more than they imagined.

As a leader in racquet sports, Jill hopes to inspire others to embrace opportunities, continue learning, and recognize the incredible influence coaches have in shaping lives. She believes success is measured not by trophies, but by the people we encourage, empower, and inspire every day.

✨ Inspiring Excellence. Building Confidence. Creating Community. ✨

Fun Fact: Jill is an avid traveler who loves exploring new cultures through food, enjoys kayaking, snorkeling, and collecting seashells, and is already planning her next adventure to Japan.