Meet the Member: Ford Corl

Where are you from and what brought you to the Reno/Tahoe area?

I’m from Tucson, AZ and I’ve lived in Reno for 19 years. I traveled up here after college because my girlfriend at the time got into the UNR Med School. I ended up finding a career I really love and that’s kept me here ever since. 

What’s your tennis story? How did you get started and what keeps you going? Please include how long you have been a member of WTC. 

From 1995 – present I’ve been obsessed with professional tennis. It’s my favorite sport by a mile. This led me to play in high school and a little bit of USTA back in Arizona. When I moved to Reno I started playing for the RTC 3.0 USTA Team. I only played for one season and for no particular reason other than I was just busy, I didn’t really play for the following 15+ years but I never stopped watching tennis. The pandemic made me pick up the racquet again and casually play with a few friends. In 2021 I went searching for tennis communities around Reno/Sparks and came across a Facebook group that did tennis meetups. That’s where I met Austin Lee and Kyle Sadanaga. We signed up for some tournaments and that’s how I found out about the Washoe Ladder. This will be my 5th year as a WTC member and I’ve since met so many people and amazing new (MEAT WORM) friends in the community.

What WTC or USTA activities do you participate in? (You can include this with the previous question)

Since 2022 I’ve played on many (colorfully named) USTA teams such as Spicy Meatballs, Leftovers, Big Chunky, Meat Dolls, ReMixed Nutz and Meat Larvae.

This year I’m currently on SLIME Angels and Meat Worms.

I may or may not have had something to do with those names. Who’s to say?

What is another favorite hobby other than tennis? Can you give a recommendation for that activity?

I’ve been getting back into golf as well, thanks to Cameron Mason and Sean Lockwood.

I’ve been involved in at least some kind of music since I was 10 years old. Currently I enjoy writing, recording and performing music.

My profession is in video production, but I also enjoy making music videos and short films from time to time.

Who is your favorite professional tennis player? Why?

Federer by a long shot. I grew up rooting for Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi, but when Fed showed up on the circuit, I’d never seen anyone like him. I’ve always been enamored with his style of play.

Any fun plans for 2025?

This should be a busy, fun year. I’m traveling to the Faroe Islands, Mammoth and hopefully Havana. I plan on playing on several USTA teams and recording new music and rehearsing for a few live shows this fall.

Can you tell us about your family, occupation, pets, etc?

For the first 6 years in Reno, I worked as a Live TV Director. Everything from newscasts and gubernatorial debates to New Years events and Reno Aces games. I also was the co-founder of the (since defunct) non-profit “The Reno Sessions,” a production company that made professional music videos for local bands that couldn’t afford it. 

Thanks to these two professions I was fortunate enough to receive two regional Emmy awards for Best Live Broadcast Director and Best Arts and Entertainment Program.

For the past 13 years I’ve traveled all over the world, working as a Nature Videographer for “The C.A.R.E. Channel” a relaxation program that plays in medical facilities across the country and “Relax with C.A.R.E.” a consumer relaxation app. The job can be as sedentary as it is rugged. It’s really interesting work and I absolutely love it.

My Mom and Dad still live in Arizona and several years ago my brother moved up to Reno for grad-school and still lives here. 

Any other fun information you would like to share about yourself?

This tennis community has truly been a wonderful addition to my life. I’m beyond grateful for everyone being so welcoming and the friends I’ve made.

…oh and

GOOO WORMS!
IT’S SLIME TIME!