It is with a very heavy heart and much reluctance that I am making the
decision to dissolve the Bill Rompf Junior Tennis Foundation.  We have
struggled for the last two years to capitalize on our enormous successes and achieve an operational foothold in OKC to grow even without my immediate presence, but this has proved to be a challenge that we have not been able to fulfill, As well, I have experienced some health issues that are prohibiting me from carrying forward with this work, albeit work that has given me immense joy, pride and purpose.  

In doing so, I want to profusely thank and extend my most sincere gratitude to all of our kind and generous donors over the last three years, including my many loyal friends and family; former students; and fellow coaches. I also want to thank our Board of Directors who wholeheartedly believed in our mission of helping Oklahoma kids with talent and limited financial means to have the opportunity to reach their best in the game of tennis.  

In just three short years, we have had incredible success with our scholarship kids and, to a person - both on and off the court – they have exceeded anything we could have ever imagined.  Most of our players began with us as top 10 Oklahoma players, but having just average MVTA rankings. Their goal to compete at the national level was clear, but the financial jump from sectional to national qualification and play was an almost insurmountable challenge. Our ability to help them with tournament travel and fee expenses gave them the opportunity to fulfill their dreams – and, in fact, incredibly surpassed it - is an understatement.  Their achievements included consistent
and sustained number one rankings in Oklahoma, top five in the MVTA, and in many cases, top 100 USTA national rankings. 

Along the way they also earned several awards in terms of “best improved”, “high performance”, “skill”, and “sportsmanship” at both the state and sectional levels. As a result of these accomplishments, several BRJTF kids received USTA expense free invitations to attend the US Open; training opportunities at national level camps; collegiate preparatory workshops; and garnering awards off the court for their personal stories and scholastic excellence. In every sense, these young athletes more than fulfilled our expectations and hopes in achieving their best and seeing their dreams come true, both on and off the tennis court.  It truly became a “Cinderella” story for our foundation.

As I have always stated, the successes and achievements of my OKC
academy during the 70’s and 80’s at the state, HS, sectional and national level is unmatched to this day. Those times are the most cherished and happiest of my life.  I am so fortunate to have been in the right place and at the right time pursuing what appeared to be overly ambitious goals in building junior champions out of OKC, but we did it together and those victories and achievements will always hold an unequalled place in OK tennis history and in my heart.  

In closing the foundation, we are donating our remaining funds to the three junior tennis organizations in OKC that we believe represent the ideals of the BRJTF purpose and mission of helping talented junior tennis players, who are financially challenged, the opportunity to play the game and achieve their tennis dreams: Play It Forward, First Serve OKC, and the OK Tennis Foundation. We have full faith and confidence in their using our significant donation to both carry on the work and to support junior tennis in OKC into the future.

The Bill Rompf Junior Tennis Foundation has been a labor of love with a
goal always of trying to give back to the game, and specifically to give
talented, hard working kids, the opportunity and ability to compete and reach their tennis dreams regardless of financial means. It is something that I will always cherish with an enormous sense of satisfaction and pride.

Thank you all for helping me too make my tennis dreams come true and for passing that opportunity onto worthy junior players to pursue their dreams in our sport.  I am truly a very lucky man.

With much thanks and heartfelt gratitude,
Bill