08/13/2026
There are people who show up when they’re asked.
And then there are people who show up, roll up their sleeves, and serve wherever they are needed.
We have had the incredible privilege of having Ball State Men’s Tennis Head Coach Gene Orlando alongside us as we hosted both our Hacker Revival Tournament and the Delaware County Open.
Coach Gene gave us his time, his energy, and his heart. He made sure we could play at his home courts, the Bill Richard’s Tennis Courts at the Foster Adams Tennis Complex on BSU campus. He was there for long days and late nights, helping with setup and teardown, making sure players had water, helping wherever there was a need, and doing all of the little things that often go unnoticed.
We watched him clean off a court without hesitation when a player got sick.
We watched him wrap a player’s foot.
We watched him notice a young player struggling with his serve during a match, pull him aside, and patiently work with him.
We watched him help kids through their tiebreakers so they understood what to do and felt confident on the court.
And one of our favorite moments came when a group of little kids showed up with their racquets while their parents were playing. Coach Gene gathered them together, took them onto a court, and held an impromptu clinic for them. No fanfare. No announcement. He simply saw kids who wanted to play and found a way to make it happen.
He even taught us how to properly fold the American flag.🇺🇸
Coach Gene, we want you to know how much we appreciate you. You gave so much of yourself, and you reminded all of us what true servant leadership looks like.
You didn’t just help run tournaments.
You served players.
You served families.
You served kids.
You served our club.
And you served our community.
We adore you here at First Serve Muncie, and we feel incredibly lucky to have you as part of our tennis community.
Thank you for leading by example, for caring about people, and for never being above doing whatever needs to be done.
You are truly a gem in our community, Coach.❤️🎾
With gratitude,
First Serve Muncie Racquet Club
