Building Community Through Leadership, Service, and Sport
Melissa McCorkle is a Tulsa native who attended Tulsa Public Schools before continuing her education at Oklahoma Baptist University, where she majored in Elementary Education and Physical Education. Grounded in a strong belief in education, service, and personal responsibility, her academic and athletic experiences shaped a lifelong commitment to developing both character and skill in others.
Before becoming Director of Tennis at the Case Tennis Center at LaFortune Park, Melissa spent 18 years as a public school teacher and coach, impacting countless students through classroom instruction, athletic leadership, and mentorship. Those formative years established a leadership philosophy centered on service, accountability, and caring for the whole person.
A lifelong tennis professional and community leader, Melissa is a 2024 inductee into the Oklahoma Tennis Hall of Fame. While recognized for her achievements as a player, she is equally known for her dedication to using sport as a platform for character development, inclusion, and community connection.
Melissa’s journey began at age nine at a Tulsa city tennis camp, where she experienced firsthand the power of encouragement and opportunity. That early moment ignited a calling that would span more than five decades — teaching, coaching, mentoring young athletes, leading high school teams to state championships, and ultimately rebuilding a municipal tennis program into a nationally recognized model.
In 2003, Melissa was recruited to become the Director of Tennis at LaFortune Park. At that time, the program consisted of 12 aging courts, a modest tennis building, and 24 USTA adult teams. Guided by faith-informed leadership and a clear long-term vision, Melissa helped reimagine what a public tennis center could become. She assembled a dedicated team of professionals, volunteers, and community partners — including her husband David and son Peter — united by a mission to serve players of every age, ability, and background.
Through four major fundraising campaigns, more than $10 million in private donations were raised. When combined with public funding, these efforts resulted in a complete transformation of the facility. Today, the Case Tennis Center at LaFortune Park features 21 outdoor courts and 6 indoor courts and serves more than 100,000 players annually.
LaFortune is now home to more than 250 USTA adult teams and has received national recognition, including the USTA Outstanding Featured Facility Award and designation as a USTA Premier Facility. Equally important, the center hosts programs such as First Serve Tulsa, the League of Exceptional Players, wheelchair tennis, and Special Olympics tennis — ensuring access, dignity, and opportunity for all.
Melissa believes that true leadership is stewardship — faithfully developing people, resources, and purpose. Her story reflects perseverance, teamwork, and trust in a greater vision, demonstrating that when faith and work are aligned, communities are strengthened and lives are transformed.