TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — "Night at the Net" is a fundraising event for Florida State women's tennis that started last year as a thank you for a birthday visit, and now, has left those impacted speechless by the community's support.
"I don't know if I can really put into words anymore than I could last year how much it means," said head coach Jennifer Hyde.
Even without words, for Florida State women's tennis, the impact is evident.
"You always see the support with the big sports, football, basketball, and I feel like tennis is always kind of behind the scenes," said Kianah Motosono, an athlete on the team. "Just seeing what they would do for us, it's beyond words."
"We couldn't do what we do unless we had this kind of financial resources coming in," added Hyde.
A phone call last year to coach Hyde for a birthday surprise set the stage for "Night at the Net."
"This year is going to be even better than last year, and we thought last year was magnificent," said Sharon Fallon, who's husband is the one who made the call for coach Hyde to surprise her on her birthday.
It's a fundraiser for Florida State women's tennis that in year one raised over $53,000 for scholarship and performance funds.
"It goes to scholarship enhancements, it goes to resource enhancements, it goes to educational opportunities and things we wouldn't otherwise be able to do unless we had those funds standing by and fundraised," said Hyde.
"I think it'll stay with them. It's something that will be a memory, but I also think it catapults them into feeling the importance that they should feel," said Fallon. "They're our stars at "Night at the Net.""
An event that puts the Seminoles in the much deserved limelight.
"Just knowing internally that we have all these people backing us every single day, it gives us something to work for when we step out on the court every single day for practice," said Motosono. "It just means more."
That's a feeling words can't describe. The goal for Thursday's even was $63,000.
