11,400 tennis balls recycled
Our Story
One day, my brother and I went to play a friendly match at the local courts and we were shocked by the sight of 20-30 abandoned tennis balls. Some had been torn to shreds by lawnmowers, some were hidden under trees, and some were just sitting on the courts! We could not believe players just left their used tennis balls behind and had no regard for the environment. After we picked them up, we wanted to recycle them, but there was no place to do so. We took them home, did some research on how we could recycle tennis balls, and shortly thereafter, Tennis Balls Round Two was born.
Tennis Balls Round Two, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, aims to reduce the number of tennis balls in landfills and spread awareness about the importance of recycling throughout the tennis community.
We are committed to making a positive impact on the environment and making tennis a more sustainable sport.
Please consider donating to our mission so that we can continue recycling tennis balls and help save the planet.
Meet Our Team
Ricky Ecklord
Chief Executive Officer
Ricky posing with some of the awesome kids he coaches!
My name is Ricky Ecklord and I am a junior at Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, NJ. I have coached kids tennis for years and love to play the sport. I combined my love of tennis and the environment and started Tennis Balls Round Two because I think every tennis ball should have a second life.
Tennis balls are tossed in the garbage by so many players after just one match and they could easily be recycled if players had the opportunity and knowledge to do so. That's why I am trying to spread the word and make it easy to recycle tennis balls in my community. Every ball counts.
James Ecklord
James with his game face on!
Chief Operating Officer
My name is James Ecklord and I am a freshman at Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, NJ. Tennis is a fun, social, life-long sport that I really enjoy playing (especially against my older brother). We have lots of family memories on the courts.
I am very happy to be part of Tennis Balls Round Two and love helping the environment in any way I can. I look forward to increasing awareness about recycling in my community and making tennis a greener sport. Every ball counts.
Meet Our Board of Trustees
Wayne Street
My name is Wayne Street, and I’m better known in the tennis world as Coach Wayne. I’ve been teaching tennis since 1999, and playing tennis for 35 years. I spend my summers at the Little Egg Harbor Yacht Club (LEHYC) in Beach Haven, NJ, and winters at the Rafael Racquet Club (RRC) in San Rafael, California.
In my decades of experience, I have used a countless number of tennis balls in lessons, matches and drills and have a deep understanding of their impact on our environment. Inspired by our young leaders, I’ve grown deeply committed to the cause of recycling and sustainability. I am motivated to help reduce waste, promote the reuse of tennis balls, and encourage green practices both on and off the court.
Lynn Serpico
Lynn Serpico is a life long tennis player and fan and is pleased to be supporting Tennis Balls Round Two.
She recently retired after a 33 year career in the insurance industry where her most recent role was Global Chief Client Experience Officer for Aon where she was also a member of Aon’s Executive Leadership Team. Over her 33-year career, Lynn developed a deep expertise in value creation for clients and has built a reputation for excellence in global consulting, operational efficiency, and innovative strategic thinking with the highest level of integrity and commitment to enhance client business results.
In addition to her professional roles, Lynn serves on the Board of Governors for the International Tennis Hall of Fame and is an Advisory Board member at Cerity Partners, a leading wealth management firm serving high-net-worth individuals and families, businesses and their employees, and non-profit organizations.