Third Annual Ace it for Syd Tournament Pays It Forward
The Third Annual Ace It for Syd Tennis Tournament brought together a number of friends, family and tennis enthusiasts to Oceanside High School to honor the memory of Sydne Jacoby. The tournament happened to fall on a special day, as Sydne was celebrating her 22nd birthday the same day the tournament was happening. There were five different divisions for tennis, as well as food, drinks, raffles, t-shirts and much more on a sunny Sunday afternoon.
In its third year, the theme of this year’s Ace It for Syd event was “Paying It Forward.”
“I’ve always felt the warmth, I’ve always felt the love,” said Nadine Jacoby, Sydne’s mother. “But this year, I really wanted to figure out what I wanted the premise of the Sydne Jacoby Foundation to be. And it’s all about paying it forward. We’re only here for a short period of time, and the important thing is helping each other while we’re here.”
The event and Foundation have both grown significantly in its three years of existence, and for the second year in a row, gave out a scholarship to a deserving high school student. It was given this year to Oceanside High School’s Rebecca Klein, who will be attending SUNY New Paltz in the fall to play volleyball.
“I’m so excited and grateful … thank you,” Klein said of the honor.
In addition to the fantastic raffle prizes, great food and music, the day also saw some highly competitive tennis out on the courts.
“The tournament is so well-organized,” said Nancy Schwarz. “Being a three-year participant, I’ve watched this event evolve so much. This takes a tragedy and turns it into a way to pay it forward.”
As a continued part of the “Pay It Forward” theme, the foundation also presented the family of Susan Alvy, long-time manager of Rockville Racquet and a staple of the Long Island tennis community, with a donation to Memorial Sloan Kettering.
The following are the winners from the tournament:
â–ºWomen’s “A” Doubles: Nancy & Kaitlyn Wisniewski
â–ºWomen’s “B: Doubles: Debbie Cohen & Sabrina Wolkoff
â–ºMen’s “B” Doubles: Glen Steinberg & Kevin Kowalsky
â–ºMixed-Doubles: David Merkov & Allison Greenberg
Special thanks to Lisa Carlisi, Kathy Miller, Maureen McFadzen, Jamie Dellarocca and all of the Jacoby friends and family who have made the growth of the Sydne Jacoby Foundation possible. If you would like to learn more, or to donate to the Sydne Jacoby foundation, visit www. sydnejacoby.com or e-mail aceitforsyd@verizon.net.
