Minnesota Tennis Leaders Judy Long, Leslie Oskey Honored at US Open
Published: September 11, 2026 | Last Updated: September 21, 2026 at 11
SAINT PAUL, MN: A St. Paul tennis and education organization was represented on one of the sport's biggest stages this year, with two members of the Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center receiving national recognition at the 2026 US Open and three others helping introduce thousands of families to the sport.
Judy Long, a tennis instructor and adult program coordinator at Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center, was named USTA Northern's honoree for the Billie Jean King Champions of Equality Award, recognizing her commitment to expanding access and creating opportunities through tennis. Long's recognition follows more than two decades of involvement with Fred Wells and years of work connecting people with tennis, education, and mentorship.
She wasn't the only member of the St. Paul organization recognized during this year's US Open.
Leslie Oskey was named one of the USTA President's 35 x 35 Impact Award winners, an honor connected to the USTA's effort to increase tennis participation nationwide to 35 million players by 2035.
"We are incredibly proud to have Judy and Leslie doing this important work right here at FWTEC," said Executive Director, Christine Nickels of Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center
Both images above come from the Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center newsletter.
More Than Two Decades at Fred Wells
Long's connection with Fred Wells dates back to the organization's early years. According to a profile previously published by the Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center on Long’s 20th Anniversary, Long became familiar with the organization through a free Saturday tennis program in 2002. Her children participated in the program while Long, then a teacher, often used the opportunity to prepare for her classes.
Long had previously taught in Minneapolis schools and coached volleyball at Powderhorn Park. Her experience working with young people eventually caught the attention of coach Gary Clark, who encouraged her to apply for a position at Fred Wells. She was hired in December 2004 as the organization worked to further develop the educational component accompanying its tennis programs.
One of Long's early efforts involved working with students from Sheridan Global Arts School. Students participated in life-skills activities before heading onto the tennis courts, combining education and personal development with an introduction to the sport. The goal went beyond simply teaching children how to play tennis. The program also gave coaches and staff a chance to build relationships with young people that could continue as they progressed through school.
Long has emphasized the importance of building those relationships early, particularly before students reach middle school, when keeping young people consistently involved in extracurricular programming can become more challenging.
Those connections could also expand beyond individual participants, with children introducing younger siblings, friends, and other family members to Fred Wells programs.
Expanding Access to the Sport
Making tennis accessible has been a significant part of the work at Fred Wells, particularly for young people who may otherwise encounter financial, transportation or other barriers to participating in the sport. Transportation was among those challenges.
Over the years, Long recalled staff and volunteers finding ways to transport children to and from programming by bus and van. Those challenges became even more complicated during the COVID-19 pandemic, when capacity restrictions limited how many children could travel together. Finding ways around those barriers has remained part of the organization's larger mission.
The Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center brings together people of different ages, abilities, and backgrounds through tennis while providing educational and developmental opportunities for young people. Its TennisWorks outreach programming partners with schools and community organizations to introduce children to tennis while helping participants develop social-emotional and personal skills.
Long continues that work today as a tennis instructor and adult program coordinator, helping extend the organization's mission to players beyond its youth programming. Her background as an educator has also shaped her coaching approach. Long has previously spoken about the importance of developing relationships before focusing solely on instruction, whether in a classroom or on a tennis court. When students know an instructor cares about them and their success, she has said, they can become more receptive to learning. Her own experiences also influenced that philosophy.
Long recalled that attending college was not necessarily expected of her while growing up. A high school counselor encouraged her to pursue higher education and helped her obtain a significant scholarship to Knox College. That experience stayed with Long as she later found herself in a position to encourage young people to pursue opportunities of their own.
Honored on One of Tennis' Biggest Stages
Long's commitment to expanding opportunity and building relationships through tennis closely aligns with the purpose of the Billie Jean King Champions of Equality Award. The award was created in 2023 as the US Open commemorated the 50th anniversary of its decision to award equal prize money to men and women.
The recognition celebrates people who have worked to advance equality, opportunity, and representation in tennis and beyond. Those selected from individual USTA sections are recognized for carrying those principles into their own communities, making Long's selection both a national honor and recognition of work taking place locally in Minnesota.
The Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center celebrated Long's selection in a Facebook post, saying the people chosen for the award "exemplify the spirit of Billie Jean King and are devoted to advancing inclusivity through tennis."
"A HUGE congratulations to Coach Judy Long for being USTA Northern's honoree for the Billie Jean King Champions of Equity Award!" the organization wrote. "We couldn't be more proud of Coach Judy!"
The recognition places Long among a nationwide group of tennis leaders whose impact extends beyond wins, losses, and what happens during a match. For Long, it also recognizes more than two decades spent working with players in Minnesota.
While her responsibilities at Fred Wells have evolved over the years, from helping develop educational programming for young people to her current work as a tennis instructor and adult program coordinator, the common thread has remained using tennis to connect people, build relationships, and open doors. Long has previously pointed to former participants who have gone on to graduate from college, serve in the military, and reach other significant milestones as examples of the broader impact that sustained mentorship can have.
Now, more than 20 years after joining Fred Wells, that work is being recognized on the national stage with an award named for one of the most influential advocates for equality in sports. Congratulations, Coach Judy Long!
Photo Credit: Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center
Oskey Recognized for Work to Grow the Sport
Alongside Long's recognition, Oskey was selected as one of the USTA President's 35 x 35 Impact Award winners. The recognition is tied to an ambitious national goal by the USTA: increasing the number of tennis players in the United States to 35 million by 2035. Fred Wells said the honor recognizes Oskey's role in helping expand participation in the sport.
Both honors closely reflect the broader mission of the St. Paul organization, which works to make tennis accessible to people of different ages, abilities, and backgrounds while providing educational and developmental opportunities for young people.
Its outreach efforts have included partnerships with schools and community organizations designed to introduce young people to tennis while helping participants develop skills that extend beyond the court.
Fred Wells Volunteers Take the Court at Arthur Ashe Kids' Day
Long and Oskey weren't the only representatives from Fred Wells to make the trip to New York. In a message to the Fred Wells community in their newsletter, Executive Director Christine Nickels announced that Fred Wells Volunteers David Stingley, Langston Stingley, and Coral Gordon also volunteered during the US Open at the Arthur Ashe Kids' Day, helping lead free on-court activities as approximately 50,000 people filled the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Arthur Ashe Kids' Day is part of the festivities surrounding the beginning of the US Open and Fan Week, giving children and families an opportunity to experience tennis through activities, entertainment, and other events.
For the three Fred Wells representatives, that meant bringing some of the same work they do to expand participation in tennis in Minnesota to one of the world's largest tennis venues. The volunteer effort added another layer to what became a significant US Open for the St. Paul organization: two members nationally recognized for their work and three others directly helping introduce families to the sport.
The above image is from the Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center newsletter.
Bringing the Recognition Back to Minnesota
While the honors were presented on the national stage in New York, the work behind them has largely taken place back home in Minnesota. Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center has made expanding access to tennis central to its mission, including efforts to reach young people who may otherwise face financial, transportation, or other barriers to participating.
For Long, that mission has been part of her work for more than 20 years. Her responsibilities have evolved from helping develop educational programming for young people to her current work as a tennis instructor and adult program coordinator, but the emphasis on using tennis to build relationships and create opportunities has remained. Oskey's 35 x 35 recognition, meanwhile, highlights another piece of that mission: bringing more people into the sport and creating opportunities for them to continue playing.
Alongside David Stingley, Langston Stingley, and Coral Gordon at Arthur Ashe Kids' Day, Fred Wells' presence at the 2026 US Open provided a national spotlight for work that continues every day in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Written by: Will Wight
