Member Spotlight: Farrah Northcott
Tennis is My Oxygen
Farrah as a child with her dad (Left) and at Intersectionals (2024)
For Farrah Northcott, tennis has never been just a sport — it’s been a lifelong thread connecting family, purpose, identity, and community.
She first picked up a racquet at age nine in Mission Viejo. Growing up in townhomes along a golf course in Orange County, she lived next door to a country club. A family friend’s daughter played tennis and suggested Farrah give it a try. She began walking over for lessons, and from that first introduction, she was hooked.
Raised in Orange County, Farrah was supported every step of the way — especially by her father, who drove her to tournaments and cheered her on from the sidelines. Through high school, she stood out as a strong athlete. Some encouraged her to pursue basketball or volleyball because of her height, but tennis demanded full commitment. With no off-season, there was no casually picking up another sport. Tennis was year-round, and Farrah embraced it fully.
Her dedication paid off when she was recruited to play Division I tennis at California State University, Long Beach, competing in the Big West Conference. She played all four years, finding her greatest competitive success later in her college career. The experience was formative — intense, rewarding, and deeply meaningful.
After graduating in 1996, Farrah stepped away from the game. Like many former athletes, she experienced burnout. Career, marriage, and family took priority. Over the next two decades, she played only a handful of times. She missed tennis, but life was full.
Then, over 20 years later, a small spark reignited everything.
Through her son’s baseball circle, she made a friend who played tennis at a local country club. That was the nudge she needed. Back on the court, she felt it immediately — she had missed this. The movement, the competition, the joy. In 2018, she joined that club and began playing regularly again. Later that year, she realized social tennis wasn’t enough. She needed a goal. Competition had always been part of her DNA.
A friend invited her to join a USTA adult league team. She entered as a 4.5 player and quickly immersed herself in the competitive adult tennis scene. Growing up, tournaments had been the primary competitive outlet, but now league tennis dominated. Farrah thrived. She was bumped to 5.0 amid a surge of strong players in Southern California, and new 5.0 leagues formed. From there, she became a staple on teams out of Los Caballeros Sports Village and competed across multiple clubs and tournaments.
Tennis once again became more than a hobby — it became part of her identity.
“It’s a way of living,” she says. “It’s part of my purpose.”
Beyond competition, she treasures the tennis community — the camaraderie, travel, friendships, and instant connections. “You can see someone only a handful of times, but you’re the best of friends,” she says. “You already understand each other.” She even draws inspiration from the Gold Balls documentary, which follows senior competitive players — a reminder that the sport can last a lifetime. Although Farrah has silver and bronze balls, she still chases after the elusive gold ball.
Professionally, Farrah has built a career rooted in health and service. After earning her undergraduate degree in sociology at Long Beach State and working in market research, she returned to school to earn a master’s degree in nutrition and food science, and became a registered dietitian. Influenced by her health-conscious parents — and encouraged by her then-boyfriend, now husband — she shifted toward public health and education.
For the past 15 years, she has worked at a county office of education, where her role evolved into director of a department supporting school districts in their health priorities. Her work focuses on behavioral health initiatives including suicide prevention, substance use prevention, mental health supports, nutrition education and physical activity promotion. She supports the people who support students — helping educators and staff build health systems that allow children to be ready to learn.
“It can be a pressure cooker at times,” she says of working in education.“The people on the front lines are constantly pouring into others. You have to work at putting your oxygen mask on first.”
For Farrah, tennis is that oxygen mask.
After a demanding job and a 15-year, hour-long commute each way, she needs time in the sun, moving her body, and connecting with others. Playing three times a week keeps her grounded. When she can’t fit it in, she feels the imbalance.Tennis is her stress relief, her joy, and her reset.
At home, athletics remain central to family life. Her teenage son plays competitive basketball, and Farrah prides herself on being a steady, calm presence in the stands. Her family values the life lessons sports teach — resilience, growth, discipline, and perspective.
Farrah views tennis as a lifelong gift from her parents, especially her beloved father and mentor Matt, who stood by her side through countless junior tournaments. (Talking about this was emotional for Farrah, and I offered to have her send it to me in writing if it would be too difficult. But she wanted to say it out loud, and that made it even more beautiful.) One of her most treasured memories came in 2022, when her dad — turning 80 — watched her compete at intersectionals in Florida, his home state. It was the last time she saw him in person. The trip, made possible because of tennis, became a profound full-circle moment.
“Tennis has brought me so many opportunities — community, friendships, travel, purpose,” she reflects. “I’m forever grateful.”
As she looks ahead, Farrah hopes to shift her work life in the coming years to allow even more space for tennis — on her terms. The fire still burns. And if her journey proves anything, it’s that sometimes stepping away only deepens the love.
For Farrah Northcott, the game isn’t finished. It’s just entered its next chapter.