Something Good: Edmond Family Serves Up Kindness Through Tennis

As any tennis family knows, it can become quite a racket when siblings play each other, and the Minihan sisters are no different. 

“We can get competitive, both of us always want to win," said Aspen Minihan. 

Her sister Chloe, four years younger, hasn't beaten her big sis yet. Does that bother her?

“Yeah," Chloe said, with a laugh. 

But at the end of the match, family is what’s most important, a lesson certainly not lost on the Minihans. 

They were named the winners of the Ralph W. Westcott Family of the Year Award, a national honor given by the United States Tennis Association. 

It even included a virtual visit with Patrick McEnroe. 

“Obviously, he had a sibling who played tennis as well, so he gave the girls a really hard time about what it’s like to play tennis with your sister," said Lisa Minihan. 

“It’s really neat that it’s our family, something…we’ll share the rest of our lives," said Lisa's husband David.

Tennis has been life for the Minihans, it’s how David and Lisa met, at a high school tennis tournament in Texas. 

They’ve run tennis facilities all over the state and currently manage a $17 million facility called Edmond Center Court, a joint partnership between the city and Edmond Public Schools. 

The Minihan family’s mission is to give as many people as possible access to the sport, and there’s no better example of that, than their Play It Forward Tennis Foundation. 

It provides free tennis and life lessons to kids who don’t have the means to play, and also adaptive tennis for children with Down syndrome. 

“It’s so cool to see the look on their face when they come out and they play, and the joy that they bring all of us, it’s almost selfish in a way," said David. 

“Unless you show your kids how to serve, and how to give back, you really haven’t shown them the whole opportunity you have," said Lisa.

Love. It’s more than just a score for the Minihan family.