Alumna Spotlight: Berta Tintore ’85, MA ’89

The highlight of Ms. Tintore’s career was helping to organize the 1992 Olympic Games. It was a unique experience in which she highlights: “All the facilities developed for the Olympics were included in a long-term plan for the urbanism of Barcelona, ensuring that the facilities could later be integrated into the day-to-day life of the city. The plan also included locating the activities, events, and facilities nearer to the Mediterranean Sea front and therefore decentralizing the venues so that all the areas of the region could benefit from the sports venues into the future. This has proven to be very influential on the subsequent sporting life of the city.”

Berta credits her experience in the Graduate Kinesiology program as providing opportunities that helped her find success in her role with the Olympics, including acting as a liaison to sports directors from around the world. She relates: “I managed to understand the reasons and priorities behind their requests for different materials. It was a unique experience to work with close to 30 different sports directors. We thoroughly tried to meet their requests, knowing that it was essential for the success of the events and operations carried out.” The team she was involved with was composed of just six people, who were responsible for acquiring more than 4,000 different products. The job included conversations with the International Federations of different sports in order to identify approved commercial products for the events, and then contacting possible suppliers and making final decisions on whether to purchase, rent, or borrow the products. By contrast, the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles had a department of more than 30 people accomplishing similar tasks.

As General Manager of the CTC Association since 2010, her primary challenge is to coordinate the communication of some of the most renowned and historical tennis clubs in the world. She states, “I really feel that my background as an administrator and as a tennis player, representing Spain on several occasions and also as a student-athlete at Saint Mary’s, has given me the capacity to lead and make this association grow to the point where it now includes 77 clubs from 24 countries over four different continents. I have also learned that participation in international competitions can create strong bonds and lasting friendships between people from very diverse backgrounds.” Although the pandemic has obliged the organization to postpone its largest amateur tournament for a year and postpone events for the CTC itself, she mentions “it is really astonishing and humbling to see that people and players wanted to rollover their entrance fees for the following year in order secure their spot to participate in these popular events.” The CTC’s aim, despite COVID-19, is to continue to uphold the traditions of tennis and looks to achieve this through organizing competitions and other sporting and cultural events, supporting the activities of its member clubs around the world, and encouraging the development of young talent.