Beyond The Baseline: Evan Sonny

As USTA Southern California’s Coordinator of Sportsmanship, Officiating, and Fair Play, Evan Sonny ensures these three areas move in the same direction at the organization. He plays a vital role in ensuring tennis is not only competitive, but played with integrity, respect, and fairness.

Kind-hearted, noble, and trustworthy, Evan has become a natural fit for a position centered on guiding behavior and fostering positive experiences across the Southern California tennis community. His journey into the role reflects who he has always been, someone dedicated to helping others, leading by example, and inspiring the next generation. 

Passionate about sports from an early age and driven by a belief in fair play, Evan has built a career focused on helping young athletes grow not just as competitors, but as people. Whether interacting with players, parents, officials, or tournament staff, he is the type of person others naturally gravitate toward,  personable, thoughtful, and guided by a strong sense of justice. This National Sportsmanship Day, and every day, his work serves as a reminder that character remains one of the most important elements. 

Roots of Competition Inspired by Family

A native of Fullerton, where he proudly lives today, Evan was raised in an active household that encouraged trying new things. The oldest child and only boy, he grew up with his two sisters, spending hours biking, rollerblading, or creating backyard games of hockey, baseball, and golf that shaped his teamwork and perseverance.

“Growing up, sports were my entire life. I am told my very first word was actually ‘ball,’” Evan shared. “My sister Emily, who is two years younger than me, and I were inseparable when it came to being outside. My half-sister, Marlow, rounds out the family. Both my mom and my dad were incredibly supportive and motivated us to follow whatever caught our interest, which really fostered my love for competition and the outdoors.”

Evan explored a variety of sports, but baseball, soccer, and water polo left the greatest impact. “My dad’s intensity was best suited for the baseball diamond,” Evan said. “He is a big teddy bear in every other aspect of life, but he definitely got ‘banished’ to the outfield during my games because of his passion for watching me play baseball.”

While tennis was never central to his early athletic journey, it remained present in his life through his grandmother, whose love of the sport left a lasting impression that would resurface years later. “My grandmother was an inspiration, playing regularly every week until she was 80. While I grew up with a solid baseline understanding of the game because of her, I did not dive deep into the technicalities of the rules until later,” he recalled. 

Discovering a Calling

At Sonora High School, Evan balanced academics alongside baseball and water polo, embracing the rhythm of competing across multiple seasons. Moving between sports helped shape both his athletic identity and his perspective on long-term development, reinforcing his belief in becoming a well-rounded athlete rather than specializing too early.

His athletic path began to open new doors on the baseball diamond. While attending a Perfect Game showcase in Arizona, a premier scouting event that attracts college recruiters from across the country, Evan delivered one of the strongest performances of his career. The outing drew significant attention from college programs and ultimately earned him the opportunity he had worked toward since childhood, the chance to play collegiate baseball.

Evan headed north to Cal State Monterey Bay to play baseball while pursuing a Kinesiology degree. What initially appeared to be a steady upward trajectory soon changed course. Months of elbow pain revealed he had been pitching through one of the most common yet devastating injuries for pitchers, a torn UCL.

“I finally got an MRI that showed I had been playing on a torn UCL for probably six months,” Evan explained. “The injury wasn’t originally diagnosed correctly because scar tissue had formed where my body was trying to heal itself.”

With his roster spot filled during recovery and uncertainty surrounding his future in the sport, Evan reassessed his path. Determined to give baseball one final opportunity, he transferred to Allan Hancock College. What began as a practical decision to continue competing ultimately became the turning point of his career through an unexpected administrative mistake.

A placeholder class unexpectedly led him to an Introduction to Recreation Management Course, where instructor Paul LeSage sparked his passion for sport management. “Within an hour, I realized I had found my true calling,” Evan recalled. “Paul passed away less than two years ago, and I am forever grateful to him. He is the reason I found sport management.”

The pivotal experience redirected Evan’s academic and career goals, leading him to transfer to his dream school, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he graduated with a degree in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration, concentrating in Sport Management. Evan looks back on that unexpected classroom assignment as defining his professional journey.

Finding Purpose Post-Graduation

Remaining in San Luis Obispo after graduation, Evan balanced work in event planning and catering while pursuing one of his true callings, mentoring and educating youth. With multiple relatives working as educators, guiding young students came naturally and quickly became a meaningful part of his post-college life. In 2023, he moved back to Fullerton and focused entirely on teaching, but couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing. Sports had always been central to his identity, and he continued searching for a way to reconnect his career with that passion.

Through a connection from a collegiate summer league baseball team internship in San Luis Obispo, he learned of an opening at USTA Southern California. Intrigued by the role and recognizing how closely it aligned with his interests and skill set, Evan applied and joined the organization as a Summer Associate in May 2024, where he quickly immersed himself in Southern California tennis. His responsibilities ranged from event operations and administrative support to assisting with one of the sport’s fastest-growing areas, sportsmanship initiatives and electronic line calling. As the organization explored new software and developed evolving approaches to officiating and fair play, particularly within junior tennis, Evan became an early contributor to discussions and implementation efforts. Evan’s contributions during this internship ultimately led to his full-time role in February 2025.

Championing Fair Play

Today, Evan bridges departments, supports tournament operations, and guides initiatives that enhance the experience for players, parents, and officials. At its core, his position centers on collaboration, communication, and alignment across all levels of the sport.

He serves as the liaison for the Grievance Committee, oversees the sanctioning of Junior Circuits, and ensures fairness on and off the court. These events often mark the first competitive experience for players and families, and Evan takes pride in helping shape the start of their tennis journey.

“Because tennis is growing quickly in our section, we naturally see more grievances, often from newer parents and spectators still learning the nuances of the sport,” Evan stated. “My focus is on bridging the gap between players, spectators, and officials. Many spectators don’t realize how difficult it is to be an official, and many players feel disconnected from the rules. I work to remove that division so we are all aligned on a common goal: facilitating a positive, fair, and fun tournament experience.”

His approach to officiating is shaped by lessons from his own athletic career. “Even when an umpire made a bad call, I would just walk back to the dugout without hanging my head or complaining. My coach said I let things ‘wash off my shoulders like water off a bird.’ That level-headedness is something I rely on every day in officiating,” Evan recalled. 

That mindset, coupled with experience as a versatile player in baseball and water polo, taught him the importance of being reliable and adaptable. Whether coordinating grievances, implementing new technology, or welcoming players at tournaments, Evan strives to be someone the team can count on. 

“You don’t always need a carved-out niche to be indispensable,” Evan mentioned. “You just need to show up and compete every single day.”

Much of Evan’s work involves guiding spectators and parents. In junior tennis, small audiences amplify every word, so he emphasizes that sportsmanship begins with the adults. USTA SoCal’s Zero Tolerance Policy ensures parents model respect and fairness, helping young athletes understand that winning isn’t everything and that their character and love of the game matter most.

Evan also leads the integration of electronic line calling technology in junior tournaments, partnering with SwingVision, a portable electronic line-calling system. 

“When I was an intern, it was a single-camera setup; now we’re exploring two-camera systems that provide higher confidence and accuracy. SwingVision is portable and affordable, making it accessible for more tournaments. I’d estimate electronic line calling will be standard at most main tournaments in five years. It’s not about replacing the human element; it’s about providing objective truth so kids can play with confidence,” Evan added.

Leaving a Lasting Impression

Some of Evan’s favorite moments come from working in-person events, where he can connect directly with the community across the section. Being personally involved allows him to foster inclusivity among officials and serve as a welcoming face for parents and players, creating a sense of togetherness that he values deeply.

He helped revive the Junior Sportsmanship Banquet after a more than five-year hiatus, honoring players aged 12 to 18 for character rather than performance

“Bringing back the banquet was incredibly rewarding. I’m already working to make the event even better in 2026,” emphasized Evan. “We unknowingly scheduled the banquet during Game 7 of the World Series, but since the date had been planned six months in advance, that was the last thing on our minds. It ended up being a pretty cool experience for everyone, as we showed most of the game on the projector, paused midway to recognize the amazing players, and finished the night watching our section’s home team, the Dodgers, win a thrilling extra-inning game to take the crown.”

Evan is celebrated not only for the work he does, but also for the person he is, earning admiration from players, parents, officials, and colleagues alike, all of whom recognize the energy and leadership he brings to every event.

“Evan’s positivity, patience, and unwavering enthusiasm set the tone for everyone around him,” noted 

Senior Director of Competition Maria Goldberg. “His natural inclination to give others the benefit of the doubt reflects both his character and his deep commitment to fairness. These qualities make him not only a strong advocate for sportsmanship, but the ideal leader to champion and elevate our section’s sportsmanship initiatives.” 

“Evan’s infectious level of fun and energy make every event better, but it’s his dedication in his groundbreaking role as Coordinator of Sportsmanship, Officiating, and Fair Play that is truly vital,” mentioned Assistant Director of Junior Tennis Ai Takamori. He’s filling a need we’ve always wanted to have, and his work is essential for ensuring the integrity and growth of our sport.”

Family, Fun, and Personal Interests

Outside of work, Evan treasures family time. Married just over a year, he and his wife spend their days exploring new restaurants, attending sporting events, or staying in to watch movies and play video games together. Their two dogs, Blanche and Buehler, whom they love like children, complete their household. Monday nights are reserved for Wallyball.

“Every Monday night, we devote two hours to Wallyball. If you’re not familiar, it’s like volleyball played inside a racquetball court, with the side walls in play. It’s fast, intense, and a lot of fun. It’s also where I met my mother-in-law and other members of her family for the first time. It wasn’t a gentle ‘nice to meet you’ moment, but rather a trial by fire,” commented Evan. “She is a fierce competitor. Every time I dove and nearly collided with her trying to save a point, her only response was: ‘I don’t care if you hurt me, as long as you get the ball!’ That told me everything I needed to know about the family I was marrying into. It wasn’t a ‘glad you’re here’ vibe, but more of a ‘let’s see if you’re good enough to keep up.’ I wouldn’t have had it any other way. That weekly game is more than exercise. It’s a high-energy tradition that keeps us all connected.”

A lifelong Angels fan, some of Evan’s fondest memories come from his childhood, watching his hometown team win their first and only World Series title in 2002. While he enjoys football as well, his fandom has deepened through his wife, leading him to cheer for the Philadelphia Eagles in support of her. Following sports year-round allows Evan to stay connected to the passions of his youth while sharing a bond with friends and family over their love of the games and their history.

One detail many might not know just by meeting him is that Evan is left-handed, which is a trait that has become one of his greatest assets.

“I think being left-handed allows me to see the world a bit differently. Thinking outside the box has become one of my greatest strengths, especially when I need to find new perspectives on a difficult situation or grievance,” Evan reasoned.

When asked for advice, Evan emphasizes the importance of passion and alignment: “Find a company you believe in. I didn’t want to sell people on sports. I wanted to show them the love for the game that has been part of my life since my first word. That’s what we do at USTA SoCal. When you believe in your company, it makes your job much easier.”