Former Ole Miss tennis player Lucie Devier is bringing her talents to youth in Mississippi with a new program aimed at giving kids the tools necessary to become professional-level athletes.
Devier, who was born in France, moved to Oxford to suit up for the Rebels after an All-Conference USA career at North Texas. Graduating in May 2024, Devier decided to stick around and was hired as a pro at Goose Creek Tennis Club. In partnership with the club, she recently announced the launch of Rising Rackets, a program available for youth players ages 3 to 12.
“I strive to make tennis fun for young children while equipping them with fundamental skills,” Devier said. “I believe we have an unprecedented opportunity to invest in young Mississippi players.”
Devier said the program is inspired by European developmental principles learned through her adolescence in France, where she was a member of the country’s national champion doubles team and reached the quarterfinals in the national singles tournament.
Rising Rackets is based on a goal-oriented, progression system that “incorporates the individualism of tennis in a fun environment where players have the chance to level up and celebrate their achievements at a graduation ceremony every 6-12 weeks,” according to a description of the program.
The larger vision for Rising Rackets is for the youth program to feed into Goose Creek’s elite-level junior tennis academy currently led by former Ole Miss player Alexa Bortles. This will include a multifaceted player development and training program covering sports psychology, nutrition, fitness, film study, and preventive and restorative body car.
Registration for the Rising Rackets summer program is now open. No membership to Goose Creek is required to participate. For more information, click here or call (662) 380-5505.
