WTC Legend: Will Chism

Former Reno Tennis Club [now Washoe Tennis Club] President Will Chism passed away in June 2024 at the age of 81.  He was a key volunteer tennis leader, solidifying the public/private partnership our club shares with Washoe County.  He put his heart and soul into RTC.

Will served during the tennis boom of the 1980s. The Washoe Courts were filled from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. every day, then again from 5 p.m. until dark, when players tried to squeeze a match in after work or participate in adult clinics. 

RTC was a busy place that required stewardship and on-site attention.  Will, along with others such as Tilly Botti (for whom courts 3 and 4 are named), collaborated with the RTC board to upgrade the facilities.  The club was doing well financially, so it was able to convince the county to make significant joint investments.  Will did all the design work and physically built the deck by court 1 (recently replaced), installed sprinklers, and added the lawn. He also trimmed all trees and high hedges, bordering courts 5 and 6.  Will’s family was the first in Reno to have a pickleball court at their West 2nd St. home, dating back to the mid-1970s.  He led the effort to add one to the RTC plans, sitting perpendicular to the backboard. Players played a few games of pickleball while waiting for their tennis courts to open up.

The Annual Club Championships and Barbecue, held in September, was the highlight of the year. Will served as tournament director with enthusiastic participation by the board and members.  An artist, Will made the large draw sheets.  They were beautifully done, punctuated by the names of the victors and scores etched in his perfect, bold penmanship.  The winners and runners up were fortunate to walk away with one of Will’s custom-made redwood trophies.  He brought out the grills for volunteers to prepare great spreads, enjoyed with families while sitting on the large, once grassy hillside overlooking the parking lot.  He also ran the popular Fourth of July Seniors Tournament, which meant coordinating the use of courts all over town to accommodate the flood of players traveling from Northern California.

Will was an accomplished player with a beautiful game.  His large, 6’5” frame made him a formidable presence at the net, yet his gentle kindness is for what he will be remembered most.  Like many others, his knees failed him, and he turned to golf, which he took on with the same zeal as tennis.  The membership today still benefits from the efforts Will selflessly gave to RTC 40 years ago.