Maria WieberA

I’m Maria Wiebers: mom of four, self-professed tennis fanatic, and a certified Level 1 instructor with the Racquet Sports Professionals Association (RSPA). Tennis has given me so much, and teaching it is one of my favorite ways to give back. I teach lessons as a way of sharing my love for the greatest lifetime sport there is and helping players of all ages discover the joy of the game.

My time on the court also inspired me to build tools that make tennis more fun and also more organized. In 2018, I founded Racket Pets and created the first animal themed dampener and overgrip matching set, designed to turn an ordinary racket into an adorable Racket Pet. Today, Racket Pets is a certified woman- and minority-owned small business found in over 100 retailers nationwide. Our products have been part of USTA regional kids tournaments and have appeared courtside at professional events like the Cincinnati Open, Citi Open, and Little Mo.

As an instructor, I know how much there is to juggle during a lesson. That’s why  I launched the Ball Tote in 2023.  The Ball Tote is a ball bag built for busy pros on the go. It has several large pockets for a coach’s essentials and comes in four colors that match the USTA Net Generation ball system: red, orange, green, and a classic black. Instructors can stay organized and transition easily from one lesson to the next.

Whether I’m teaching a lesson or dreaming up a new product, my goal is the same: tennis should be fun. Sometimes getting someone to fall in love with the game starts with giving them a reason to smile when they pick up their racket.