Beyond the Baseline: Jaycee Cruz

Energetic, supportive and dependable, Jaycee Cruz embodies the ideal balance of youthful enthusiasm and polished professionalism, all which are qualities that have not only made her an invaluable mentor for young athletes, but have also fueled her steady growth working directly within the tennis community. Now in her fifth year as a Coordinator of Junior Tennis with USTA Southern California, Jaycee continues to be a trusted and approachable figure, known for her organization, leadership, and ability to connect with people across all levels of the sport.

Whether offering guidance, a friendly conversation, or simply a smile, Jaycee’s presence is one that many are drawn to, and for good reason.

Formative Years Shaped by Family

A lifelong Southern Californian, Jaycee has called many cities home. As a child, she moved rather frequently, beginning in Temple City, where she attended elementary school, and later living in Arcadia, West Covina, Glendale, and Pasadena. As an only child, Jaycee was raised by a close-knit family of her father, grandmother, and uncle, whose strong Filipino roots played a central role in shaping her identity. Her father’s deep love for tennis, influenced by his own journey from the Philippines, became Jaycee’s earliest introduction to the sport and the spark that ignited her passion. In many ways, tennis and her Filipino heritage have been intertwined threads throughout her life, both grounding and guiding her path.

“I first got introduced to tennis around when I was five years old, and it was my dad who inspired me to pick up the sport,” Jaycee shared. “When he moved from the Philippines to the states, his primary focus was to learn the game of tennis and competitively play as often as he could. He started to bring me along with him to the round robin matches at Whittier Narrows Tennis Center, when Horacio Tamborini was running ‘Tennis for All.’ From that point forward, I was hooked.”

While tennis played a significant role in shaping Jaycee’s youth, dance was equally influential. She began taking dance classes at the age of eight in San Marino, exploring a variety of styles including ballet, tap, jazz, and hip hop. Her versatility and dedication led her to audition for her studio’s Jazz Company, where she earned a spot at just ten years old. This marked the beginning of her journey as a competitive dancer, performing across Southern California and Hawaii. Although dance was something that she was deeply passionate about and talented in, Jaycee made the difficult decision to step away when she was thirteen, as her focus and growth in tennis began to take precedence.

“My passion aside from tennis was dance,” Jaycee stated. “I loved to dance anywhere and everywhere! I was mainly involved in dance from ages eight to thirteen and then made the decision to focus on tennis full-time right before high school, knowing that it could potentially get me a scholarship to play in college.”

As Jaycee grew older, her tennis skills sharpened through countless hours of practice and intensive training at local academies. With her focus fully committed to the sport, she began training more rigorously during her high school years at Pasadena High School, from 2002 to 2006.

“I was attending Rusty Miller Tennis Academy (RMTA) during my freshman and sophomore year in Arcadia, where some of the top junior players at the time such as Tori Kinard and Wes Miller trained. At the same time, I began taking lessons from Chris Diamond and also started to take lessons from Craig Cignarelli at the Riviera Country Club, where I would drive over an hour from Pasadena to Pacific Palisades after school,” Jaycee explained. “In my senior year, I was taking lessons at the Rose Bowl Tennis Center in Pasadena with iTennis, where John Letts was the main coach at the time. All within those four years of training, I started out competing in satellite tournaments, and even won the Satellite Masters in G14s. Then, I started to play the designated tournaments around SoCal and even played in the ‘Roxy/Quiksilver’ National Tournament in Orange County.”

Playing on the girls’ varsity team for the Bulldogs all four years, Jaycee carved out a successful junior and high school career for herself, notably winning the Pacific League Championship in 2005. As college recruitment began, she sought guidance from Coach Cignarelli, who helped her create a recruiting video to send to prospective programs. One school that showed strong interest was Cal State Fullerton, located just over an hour from her hometown of Pasadena. Soon after receiving an offer, Jaycee committed to play under head coach Bill Reynolds and spent the next four years competing as a Titan while earning her bachelor’s degree. Juggling a rigorous academic schedule, intense practices and matches, along with maintaining a social life was no easy feat. However, it proved to be a formative experience that prepared Jaycee well for the future.

“My first declared major was Kinesiology, but I decided to change it and ultimately graduated in 2010 with a Bachelors of Science in Human Services with an emphasis on Social Work,” Jaycee said. “Balancing a full load of school work and having tennis practice three to four hours a day really kept me busy! I relied heavily on my academic counselor to help me stay on track for graduating. The mandatory study hall hours were really helpful in keeping me accountable to get my projects and homework done.”

Makings of a Career

Upon graduating, Jaycee temporarily hung up her racket and began her career in retail, starting as a Sales Associate at Gap Inc./Banana Republic from fall 2010 to summer 2011. Like many who step away from the sport, the tennis court eventually called her back. Soon after, she accepted a role at iTennis in South Pasadena, the very place where she once trained, serving as the Assistant Director of Junior Tennis. From 2011 through early 2016, Jaycee wore many hats within the organization. She managed the pro shop and weekly clinic schedules, coordinated events, served as a summer camp counselor, and taught junior tennis programs. She also led and facilitated clinics for children, teens, and adults, reinforcing her deep-rooted passion for the sport.

While re-engaging with tennis, Jaycee continued to work in various merchandise and sales roles before deciding to further her education. In 2014, she enrolled in an accelerated program at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, where she earned an Associate of Arts degree in Merchandise Marketing. This foundation helped launch the next phase of her career. Later that year, she secured an internship with The TJX Companies’ California Buying Office, which evolved into a full-time role as a Merchandise Assistant. From 2014 to 2020, Jaycee evaluated customer feedback and sales trends, collaborated with vendors, selected merchandise, processed purchase orders, and analyzed sales reports. Her role supported TJX’s global retail operations across brands such as T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, and HomeGoods.

Joining the USTA SoCal Team

While enjoying her career in retail, Jaycee always knew her true passions lay elsewhere, and she didn’t envision herself staying in that industry forever. Seeking new opportunities, she reached out to an old friend, who at the time was working in a leadership role at USTA Southern California.

“I reached out to a good friend of mine from high school, Evan Smith, who was the Director of Community Tennis at the time with USTA SoCal,” Jaycee mentioned. “In January of 2020, he told me that a position opened for the role of Coordinator of Junior Tennis. I thought this was a perfect opportunity to be in a field that felt like home, and to work around something I became involved in at a young age. I went through the interview process and began my new role on March 23, 2020, the same day the world shut down due to Covid.”

Joining the team at the start of the pandemic, Jaycee faced the unique challenge of adjusting to a completely new work environment during an uncertain time. Despite the challenges and taking on multiple new responsibilities, Jaycee has built a successful career and strong reputation over the past five years with USTA SoCal.

As a Junior Tennis Coordinator, Jaycee is the primary point of contact for Tournament Directors. She assists with all aspects of tournament management, including leading director workshops, setting up tournaments through Serve Tennis, and handling administrative tasks such as player selections and draws. Jaycee also approves sanction forms for online player registration. If it involves Junior Tournaments (Level 3 through Junior Circuits), she’s involved, managing 10-15 tournaments every weekend year-round. Additionally, she runs the L2 Intersectional Team Kats Kup event each September, a highlight for the BG12s. The opportunity to positively impact so many children through her work has made every day in her career fulfilling and enjoyable.

“I particularly enjoy my role because it allows me to give back to the sport of tennis by helping junior players participate in tournaments, providing them with the knowledge and tools they need to progress from junior circuits to more advanced levels,” Jaycee added. “Additionally, being able to work with the tournament directors all around Southern California has been rewarding, and I am happy that they can lean on me for help. Personally, running my first L2 Kats Kup in 2023 was my biggest accomplishment. Seeing all the hard work come together at the event, from coordinating with other USTA sections to managing logistics like ordering T-shirts and lunch, securing sites, and arranging officials, is definitely one of my most memorable experiences.”

Now working daily to provide opportunities and help grow the game at the junior level for current and aspiring players, Jaycee’s role has proven to be the culmination of her journey.

“My journey into competitive tennis is a full circle moment now looking at our current junior players and what they are doing to get to the next level,” Jaycee stated. “I made so many lifelong friends from tennis who I grew up with and keep in touch with to this day through juniors and in college. I hope to help provide the same experience for all the junior players I work with.”

With over 20 years of combined experience as both a player and administrator, Jaycee is not only highly skilled in her field, but also deeply respected by her colleagues.

“Jaycee is so patient and takes her time with every parent, player, and tournament director. She truly cares about everyone’s needs,” mentioned Ai Takamori, USTA Southern California’s Assistant Director of Junior Tennis. “We’re lucky to have her on our team.”

“Jaycee has an amazing ability to roll with the punches during difficult situations and always knows how to make the best of things,” shared Evan Sonny, USTA Southern California’s Coordinator of Sportsmanship, Officiating and Fair Play. “She is the light in a room full of darkness, always coming to work with a smile on her face.”

Ambitions & Interests

When she’s not working, Jaycee finds joy in life’s simple pleasures, such as spending time with loved ones, enjoying great food and drinks, listening to upbeat music, and staying active with a good workout. Living near Disneyland, she also loves visiting the park. Above all, however, Jaycee takes the greatest pride in being the best mother she can be to her daughter.

“I love to spend time with my daughter who is about to turn three in June. She definitely keeps me on my toes,” Jaycee commented. “I also enjoy working out, either taking a HIIT class or playing tennis! I have a goal of squatting between 225 and 250 pounds on the barbell by the end of this year.”

In her professional life, Jaycee is dedicated to improving the experience for both players and parents by assisting Tournament Directors in creating positive and enjoyable events that not only retain current players, but also attract new ones. She encourages new players to remain open-minded, start at their own pace, and be patient with themselves, as tennis is a lifelong sport and it’s never too late to pick up a racket.