Leslie Airola-Murveit

As we think over which tournaments we are going to play in 2024 and how we will build our playing schedule, we’d like to introduce you to NWTO member Vickki Schlappi, who has spent her career as a licensed general contractor, building and remodeling homes.

Many NWTO members learned tennis at a young age, but  Vickki, who grew up in Portland Oregon, excelled in softball in her youth. She traveled throughout the US on a AAA national softball team into her thirties.

Vickki moved to Palm Springs at age 40 along with a tennis teaching pro friend. She decided to give tennis a try and took lessons from her friend. Her athleticism helped her to learn tennis quickly. She soon began playing in USTA and local leagues, advancing from a 3.5 to a 4.5 singles and doubles player. She now loves competing in national tournaments in the 65’s age division where she loves meeting athletic women who share her passion on the courts.

Vickki’s unusual professional life also prepared her to perform well under stress on the tennis court. After two years of college at Portland State, Vickki’s career path took her from deck and fence building to becoming a superintendent at a large construction company to owning her general contracting firm called All Hands Construction from 1992-2020. Along the way, Vickki learned how to perform many trades involved in residential and commercial construction, including framing, electrical work, plumbing, and concrete work. But her specialty became finish carpentry, allowing her to create beautiful molding installed around windows, doors, baseboards, mantels, and the gingerbread details on the exterior of a Victorian house. She earned the title of a Master Carpenter and joined a carpenters’ union.  She also acquired a real estate license in 2002.  

Although Vickki began working in Oregon primarily with men in the building contracting trade,  she eventually got tired of working with men. “I’m grateful to all the talented men who took me under their wing to teach me the skills that I needed to succeed, but I wanted to be around women.” There weren’t many skilled women so she sought out recent college graduates who were eager to learn construction skills. Some of them were teammates on her softball team.  “I’m proud to have taught them useful skills in the construction trade that would serve them well for life.” Vickki purchased homes, and her team either razed and rebuilt them, or renovated and resold them. The positive teamwork she developed in her construction work carried over into her supportive relationships with doubles partners on the courts.

Vickki is an only child who was raised by a single mom. She treasures family and has created her own family through forging friendships in work and sports. She feels fortunate to be part of the Rancho Mirage and NWTO communities where her tennis friends have become her new family. Vickki has a warm personality and a sense of humor that endears her to her many friends. If you get the opportunity to meet Vickki and play with her, you’ll enjoy and admire her warmth and light-hearted personality on and off the court.