About Us

MEET OUR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DeAtley Hatten Barish

My name is DeAtley (Dee) Hatten Barish. I was raised in Huntington, West Virginia and grew up playing tennis at the local park courts. I learned many life lessons there and I want to help other children use tennis as a tool for growing and maturing into the people they want to be. I have a Master's Degree in Social Work, and have worked primarily as an officer in the U.S. Navy and then in the federal government. I have a passion for playing tennis and introducing others to the sport. See you on the courts!

VISION

Our vision for MCTEF is to play a critical supporting role in the efforts Montgomery County Tennis Association (MCTA) to introduce tennis, or expand tennis playing opportunities, to all youth in Montgomery County. By reaching out to MCTA members; the broader tennis-playing community; and to grant-making corporations, foundations, or governmental entities who share our vision, MCTEF strives to generate additional resources to support relevant tennis and mentoring programming in public parks, schools, and camps.

TESTIMONIAL

Message from the President

While 2020 proved to be a year of many unknowns as I assumed this role during the COVID-19 lockdown, I am looking forward to continuing the work of my predecessor and placing particular emphasis on raising the awareness of the Montgomery County Tennis and Education Foundation (MCTEF). As someone who was introduced to tennis by chance as a young girl attending summer camp, it is truly an honor to begin the journey as incoming Board President for MCTEF. While I didn't have the opportunity to take "official" lessons and learn the proper techniques of tennis as a child, I realized early on that tennis was a sport that I loved in many ways.

The beauty in this sport is that win or lose, there's always the opportunity to rebound, get our heads back in the game and try again the next time. These are just a few of the many portable life lessons that I believe are so important to share with young people who, in many cases, are fighting battles due to circumstances that they didn't choose. Ultimately, I believe that resilience is a byproduct of tennis if one stays committed to learning and growing in the game.

Organizations like MCTEF can help children learn resilience among other equally important life skills. With your support, we have the power to change lives, change minds and impact the youth of Montgomery County by showing them a path to learning and growing through a sport that can be played long after the childhood memories have faded-- as long as the body physically says yes.
Ayanna Wiggins, MCTEF President