Tina McCall-Waters: College Tennis Legend

McCall-Waters was the first African-American woman to receive an athletic scholarship at Indiana University.

With Juneteenth right around the corner, the importance of Black history is more significant than ever. Over the years, African-American athletes have made history, and names like Serena Williams, Colin Kaepernick, and Muhammed Ali come to mind. Another name on that list is Tina McCall-Waters, the first African-American female student to get a sports scholarship at Indiana University (1978-81).

Courtesy IU Athletics

The winner of numerous honors, McCall-Waters is a recipient of the Leanna Grotike Award, the Martin Luther King Jr Community Service Award, and most recently was inducted into the IU Athletics Hall of Fame.

Now working to bring the joy of tennis to her community, I recently sat down with the legend to discuss her career and the state of tennis today.

McElwain: Describe tennis in one word.

McCall: Adventurous.

McElwain: What is your advice for anyone wanting to get into tennis?

McCall: It’s a great sport for networking and traveling. It’s a sport of a lifetime that can be played at any age and with any disabilities.

McElwain: What were the highlights of your time at IU?

McCall: First, there was the joy of playing #1 singles and doubles at a D1 school my 1st year in college. Second, I was honored to meet Bob Knight and be a student-athlete with Mike Woodson, Isaiah Thomas, and George McGinnis. Finally, it was being named All-Big 10 and an All-America.

McElwain: Where do you see tennis going in the next 30 years?

McCall-Waters: I feel the race barrier will be less, and players from all over will be treated equally. They will continue to play professionally at a younger age.

McElwain: Where do you think the sports world can improve regarding racial equality?

McCall-Waters: Stop judging players by the color of their skin and let everyone play and be involved in the operation of the professional part of the sport.

McElwain: What’s your opinion on people like Colin Kaepernick who stand up for racial equality on the field?

McCall-Waters: It’s good to have someone who advocates for racial equality. We need more people like him to stand up for what they believe, even if it goes against the grain or how people may perceive them. I appreciated his silent protest.

McElwain: How do you want to be remembered?

McCall-Waters: I would like to be remembered as a blessed person who learned a sport and returned home to give back to an underserved town I came from. I want to be remembered as a giving person who gave all I had for the love of tennis and gave back the opportunities given to me.

McElwain: What’s next for you?

McCall-Waters: I would like to make the tennis program self-sustainable and continue teaching tennis in Eatonville, FL, including positioning the program so that tennis has become a household name and kids learn this lifetime sport.

McElwain: Who is your favorite tennis player right now?

McCall-Waters: I really like Flau’jae Johnson. She has a great story. She found a way to stay connected to her father through his love of music. He was sadly killed before she was born, but her appreciation for his style of music has given her the drive she needed to be a good basketball player and rapper.