Gretchen Rush began her rise to tennis fame at the young age of 11. She competed in tournaments in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where every summer the best collegiate players from around the country, played the National Amateur Clay Courts on the very courts she grew up playing on. With perseverance-infused talent, Rush soon went beyond the Tressel tennis courts in Mount Lebanon to playing in tournaments around the globe, earning the title of #1 junior tennis player in the world in 1982.

She has passed along her expertise, teaching tennis for over 20 years in San Diego’s clubs and public parks, coaching all levels and abilities from Special Olympians to NCAA champions (Stanford’s Amber Liu) to beginning senior players in their 80's.

Though Rush still enjoys representing the U.S. in the ITF Senior Team Championships, she devotes most of her time to training future all-stars at her alma mater, Trinity University, and bringing positive changes to her adopted San Antonio, Texas community.

As the International Tennis Director for the Special Olympics for five years, she found a great start to her life after playing tennis. “They showed me incredible courage, a sense of humor and a love of life,” Rush says. “I was honored to serve such a wonderful part of our tennis community.”

When looking back on her time as a college and professional tennis athlete, and then a coach, Rush believes there are four pillars that helped her get to where she is today, which she tries to instill in her Trinity players: dream big, love the fight, never give up and always believe in yourself.