At The Net w/ Kristen Cassidy, Carefree Racquet Club

Earlier this year, Kathy Miller retired from her post as the General Manager of Carefree Racquet Club in Merrick after nearly 40 years. A staple of not just the club, but also the broader Long Island tennis community, Miller’s exit left a void.

But fortunately, that void is being filled by new General Manager Kristen Cassidy, someone who also has great passion for the sport of tennis, as well as caring deeply about Carefree.

Cassidy grew up playing tennis at Carefree, and began working there five years ago after she finished playing collegiately at Moravian University. While a collegiate player, Cassidy’s team won the Landmark Conference in her sophomore and season seasons while making it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament in both of those seasons. She served as team captain in both her junior and senior years, which elevated her into a leadership role for the first time in her life, which helped prepare her for her professional career. 

She served as the League Director and a part-time Teaching Professional, while also ushering in a new 10-and-under camp during the summers. She ultimately worked her way up to Assistant General Manager, with aspirations of doing more. 

“From the beginning, Kathy and I have always had a great relationship. She’s someone who has always been a mentor for me, and I’ve looked up to and respected her,” said Cassidy. “When she first announced her retirement, this position was something I inquired about. It was ultimately given to someone else first, but I think everything happens for a reason. And from my perspective, I am the most ready I have ever been to take this on now. Kathy has been a huge help for me, she offers her support and will continue to do so while I navigate this new role and get more and more acclimated.”

Stepping into this new role presents challenges, and Cassidy is now in charge of a lot of the day-to-day responsibilities that come with operating not just tennis programming and leagues, but all the off the court aspects affiliated with running a business.

“I’ve observed a lot over the years, and learned how to deal with things that come up, something as ‘simple’ as an air conditioning issue, or a plumbing issue, stuff like that,” said Cassidy. “I saw how they dealt with those issues, and realized I needed to know things like, ‘Who do I call? How do I get this resolved? What happens when the customers come in the next day?’ So I learned how to respond quickly, and made sure to be on top of those things. That helped earlier this summer when a really bad rainstorm caused a small flood in our ball room, and I had to drive to Carefree to help our maintenance staff vacuum the excess water and dry the courts so people could continue playing.”

Cassidy has the full support of Miller, who is still at the club every so often to offer any guidance that she may need:

“It’s been a true joy watching Kristen grow from a student in Carefree’s Junior Program to running our club leagues, and now stepping into her new role as Club Manager. Her journey is a testament to hard work, dedication, and a genuine love for the tennis community,” Miller said. “Kristen’s friendly and personable nature make her a favorite among both staff and customers. She’s embraced every challenge  and is quickly mastering all aspects of club management. I have no doubt that Kristen will continue to thrive and lead with excellence for many years to come.”

In addition to her role as the General Manager of Carefree, Cassidy is also a collegiate tennis coach. She served as the Head Coach of the Molloy women’s team, and when the university announced the program was being dissolved, she joined the staff at Farmingdale State. 

“While Carefree is my priority, the coaches at Farmingdale [Head Coach Adam Waterhouse and Associate Head Coach Richard Hume] have been incredibly understanding and supportive with my taking on this role. They provide me with any flexibility I may need, and so far it’s worked out great” Cassidy explains. “With my responsibilities here [at Carefree], it’s great to be able to keep coaching, because it’s something I really fell in love with and found enriching. I’m able to connect with these kids, and I’m really grateful for the opportunity to continue doing that.”

Taking on all of these different roles may seem daunting, but being around tennis is something Cassidy has embraced ever since she first picked up a racquet at the age of 11, and really stems from her relationship with her grandfather, Brion. 

While her dad learned how to play so he could hit with her as she got older, her main tennis coach was her grandfather. 

“He was such a smart person, and was so invested in my tennis career, so he did a lot of research in picking out the perfect racquet, or what he thought was the perfect racquet, for me,” she recalls. “He actually converted me to being a left-handed player, even though I grew up right-handed. He was the one who would be on the courts with me six to seven days a week growing up, and was definitely the most influential tennis figure in my life.”

Unfortunately, Brion passed away two years ago, but the mark he left on his granddaughter remains, and provides a huge source of inspiration for Cassidy as she continues to elevate her position in the tennis industry here on Long Island. 

“I know that he would’ve really loved watching me grow into this career at Carefree, and would’ve been so invested in my college coaching career. He would’ve offered to do all the recruiting for me for free, because he just really loved that sort of stuff,” she says. “Tennis was one of our major connections, and I miss him very much. I attribute a lot of my love for tennis to him, and dedicate all that I do to him.”

All of that has led to Cassidy taking the reins at one of Long Island’s longest-running tennis clubs. She does not take that lightly, and understands the position she is in, and is excited to not just maintain the legacy left behind by her predecessor, but also leave her own mark. 

“I would be lucky to have a career as long and as successful as hers, and to not just continue the great work she has done, but also have my own accomplishments, and leave my own legacy,” she said. “Carefree is somewhere I have been since I was a kid. I live right up the road in Wantagh, and I’ve been coming here since I was a little girl playing junior team tennis with Danny Burgess Sr., who we all continue to miss dearly.”

Between playing there as a youngster and working there in her professional life, Cassidy knows the role Carefree plays in the tennis community. 

“I always perceived Carefree to be a tennis club for everyone. From young kids to adults of all ages, there’s an opportunity for everyone at any stage in their tennis career, whether you are a beginner, someone in your 30s looking for a game, and we even have ladies in their 80s and 90s playing on our seasonal courts,” Cassidy added. “Our staff is amazing. Ben [Marks] runs a very successful junior program, and Alina [Volman] is now running our adult learn-and-play and doing a great job with that. Our entire staff is great, from the pros, to the front desk and my assistant manager Robin Vereen and the maintenance staff, we are definitely a team here. 

I want people to feel like they can walk in and find their tennis home, whether it’s a lesson, a league or a group of people that makes them enjoy being on the court. That’s how I always saw Carefree, and in this new role, I’m excited to make sure I provide our customers with a similar experience and feeling. I really love Carefree, and who better to look after something, than someone that loves the thing they are looking after.”