2018 Hall of Fame & Awards Program

2018 Hall of fame and

Section Awards Celebration

Today we celebrate the passionate individuals who work tirelessly to grow the game of tennis all across the USTA Missouri Valley.

As we welcome five new inductees into the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame and honor our 2018 section award winners, please share your gratitude for their service to our communities and the game of tennis.

We’d also like to recognize the hard work of our Awards and Hall of Fame committee members throughout the year: Awards Susan True, Chair Kathy Loepp Stuart Dusenberry Ken Brown Kayla Wilson Troy Saulsbury Wink Winkler John Kelly Hall of Fame Jodie Adams, Chair Terry Miller George Milton Francis Baxter Judy Dippold

ThankYou

2018 Hall of Fame and Section Awards Celebration ORDER OF CEREMONY Welcome National Anthem Necrology 2018 Hall of Fame Inductees Ken D. Brown Fred Johnson Mark Platt Pat Purcell Kim Reser

Lunch 2018 Year in Review Video 2018 USTA Missouri Valley Section Awards 2018 Junior Sportsmanship Awards 2018 President’s Award

1986

Hall of Fame

2018

2018 Ken D. Brown....................Topeka, Kan. Fred Johnson................ Kansas City, Mo. Mark Platt........................Clayton, Mo. Pat Purcell...................... St. Louis, Mo. Kim Reser....................Springfield, Mo.

2013 Ron Cobb....................... St. Louis, Mo. Kevin Hedberg...................Topeka, Kan. Joe McGuire................. Kansas City, Mo. Doug Smith..................... St. Louis, Mo. Bruce Vosburg................... Omaha, Neb.

2017 Buff Farrow......................Wichita, Kan. Francis P. Lemery........Overland Park, Kan. Richard M. Perry..................Enid, Okla.

2012 Judy Dippold................... St. Louis, Mo. Micki Schillig Feldmann.. Cedar Rapids, Iowa Edmund Serrano............... St. Louis, Mo. Meredith Geiger Walton..... Kingwood, Texas

2016 Bob Bates................ Prairie Village, Kan. Mark Johnson................ Henryetta, Okla.

Wilbur Jones...................Shawnee, Kan. 2015 Richard Hudlin................ St. Louis, Mo. Cornelia Salmon-Robertson..LeCompton, Kan. Mark Rosewell.................Maryville, Mo. Verne Weber....................Bellevue, Neb. 2014 Stephen L. Gerdes.............. Omaha, Neb. Jim Klouisa...................Springfield, Mo. Ken Veney.................... Sydney, Australia

2011 Rex Coad........................Wichita, Kan. James “Buddy” Fields...........Wichita, Kan. Janet Thomas Griffith............ Tulsa, Okla.

Jane Pratt....................... St. Louis, Mo. Kim Steinmetz................. St. Louis, Mo. 2010 Charles Doughty .............. Wichita, Kan. Tommy English ........ Oklahoma City, Okla.

Paul Lockwood .............. Norman, Okla.

James Wadley ............... Stillwater, Okla.

2009 Nick Taylor ......................Wichita, Kan. Skip Walther ................. Columbia, Mo. Sheldon Weiner ............. Rock Island, Ill.

2008 Gayle David Bradshaw .. PonteVedra Beach, Fla. Patricia Graham ........... Kansas City, Mo. Steve Prosser .................. DeSoto, Kan. Leigh Strassner ................ St. Louis, Mo. 2007 Barbara Fackel ............... Rock Island, Ill. Ken Flach ...................... St. Louis, Mo. Bob McKinley ....... College Station, Texas 2006 Dave Freeborn ................... Tulsa, Okla.

Jay Louderback ............ South Bend, Ind. Terry Miller ............ Overland Park, Kan. Dave Riley ........................ Tulsa, Okla.

Russell Warner.................... Tulsa, Okla.

2005 John Allen Been.............. Houston, Texas Dr. Harry Clifton Burrus ........Winter Haven, Fla. Jacque Croft............ Overland Park, Kan. Richard Mechem .......... Fredericksburg,Texas Frank A. Thompson Jr. ....... St. Louis, Mo. 2004 John Bregin ................... Merriam, Kan. Don Dippold .................. St. Louis, Mo. Don Gardner .................. Wichita, Kan. Ken Lidie ...................... Bellevue, Neb. Su Oertel ................... Mason City, Iowa 2003 Bill Brown.............Arroyo Grande, Calif.

Cliff Buchholz.............Fort Collins, Colo.

Bob Green................Atlantic Beach, Fla. Nancy Pearce-Jeffett............ Dallas, Texas Phil Landauer................... Hillard, Ohio

2002 Patsy Rippy-Bond................. Sandy, Utah William Davis................Seminole, Okla.

Ralph Hart...................... St. Louis, Mo. Bill Rompf...................... Newport, R.I. Mary Norwood-Rompf....... Newport, R.I. 2001 Junior Coen................. Kansas City, Mo. Dick Gilkey....................Edmond, Okla.

Gene Land.............Oklahoma City, Okla.

Gerry Perry..................Springfield, Mo. Don McNeil.................Chickasha, Okla.

2000 Marilyn Mueller............... St. Louis, Mo. Louis Gerdes.................... Omaha, Neb. Ollie Gresham.................... Tulsa, Okla.

Homer Robinson................. Tulsa, Okla.

Dr. Bryce Young............Hilton Head, S.C. Judy Levering....................... Stowe, Vt. 1999 David Bryant..........Oklahoma City, Okla.

Dr. George Milton............Emporia, Kan. Cliff Price.......................... Tulsa, Okla.

J. Hal Surface Jr............. Kansas City, Mo. Dr. Steve Wilkinson......... St. Peter, Minn.

1998 W.E. Steve Broadie.............Wichita, Kan. Dr. Donald Klotz.............Iowa City, Iowa J.C. Louderback.........Arkansas City, Kan. Jim Reed....................... Winfield, Kan. S.L. Shofner.................... Prescott, Ariz.

1997 Lucien Barbour............... Winfield, Kan. Frank Ward........................Jenks, Okla.

Anna Guerrant...............Scottsdale, Ariz.

Dick Johnson..................... Ballwin, Mo. Nora Prosser.................. Merriam, Kan. 1996 Harold “Buck” Balzer............ Buhler, Kan. Justina Bricka.................. St. Louis, Mo. Kate Cushing...................... Tulsa, Okla.

Ted Drewes..................... St. Louis, Mo. Phillip L. Edwards............. St. Louis, Mo. 1995 Jodie H. Adams..............Springfield, Mo. Carol Hanks Aucamp.......... St. Louis, Mo. Mary Ann Eisel Beattie....... St. Louis, Mo. 1994 Wray Brown.................... St. Louis, Mo. Earl “Butch” Buchholz Jr. ...... St. Louis, Mo. Beverly K. Buckley........Des Moines, Iowa Joy Rodenberg.................. Lincoln, Neb. Mervyn Webster................Wichita, Kan. 1993 C.J. Hixon......................... Tulsa, Okla.

Wally Smith................ Ponca City, Okla.

Dave Snyder......................Austin, Texas

1992 Jack Buss....................Des Moines, Iowa Lucile Davidson.......... Independence, Mo. Ed Doane.........................Tustin, Calif.

1991 Clarence Dyer.................. Durant, Okla.

The Ward Parker Family...... St. Louis, Mo. Tom McSpadden............Muskogee, Okla.

1990 Francis Baxter.................Edmond, Okla.

Earl H. Buchholz Sr...............Sedalia, Mo. Charles D. Cunningham......... Tulsa, Okla.

Bill Price........................ St. Louis, Mo. Len Prosser.................... Merriam, Kan. 1989 Gerald Perry.................Springfield, Mo. 1988 D. Keedy Campbell........ Kansas City, Mo. Harris M. Coggeshall......... Des Moines, Iowa Marvin P. Richmond......... Leawood, Kan. T.H. “Curly” Vaughan......... Winfield, Kan. 1986 Dwight F. Davis................ St. Louis, Mo. Charles McKinley ............. St. Louis, Mo

Nominations are accepted annually by July 31. Nominations remain on file for five years.

Visit usta.com/ustamissourivalley for more information.

Ken D. Brown Topeka, Kansas

Ken Brown never set out to be a tennis player, or even a tennis coach. He took two tennis classes in college at Fort Hays State in 1965.

“I simply fell in love with the game,” Brown said.

When he landed a job teaching at Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas in 1966, word quickly spread he had the potential to coach and he was asked for form a college tennis team.

Independence had a rich history of being a strong tennis community, however, after World War II, the town’s facilities deteriorated and interest waned.

Brown, however, changed that over the course of his 50 year career.

In 1968, Brown started the first recreational tennis program in Independence, and successfully lobbied for the courts to be refurbished.

By the 1980s, his college team was finding success. He led his team to Nationals in 1983, 1986 and 1988.

In 1992, when his oldest son was a high school senior, he decided to become the boys’ tennis coach at Independence High School. He’d go on to become one of the most successful high school coaches in Kansas.

He was named the Kansas Boys’ Coach of the Year in 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2010. His teams won state championships in 2006, 2007 and 2008. He added coaching the Independence High School girls’ team to his duties in 2008, winning coach of the year in 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014. He won team state championships in 2009 and 2014.

His community involvement is second to none. He’s directed the city’s summer recreation program with USTA youth programming since 1983, and has organized team tennis for juniors long before the USTA introduced Junior Team Tennis. He has served on the USTA Missouri Valley Awards Committee for more than a decade.

His Hall of Fame induction is not his first honor. He’s been honored by the USTA Missouri Valley for his Outstanding Contribution to Youth Programs, Community Service, and Contributions to Junior Team Tennis. He’s served as Secretary of USTA Kansas since 2000.

Brown represented Independence at the US Open in 2009 when it was named one of the Top Three Tennis Towns in America, edging out 50 other cities across the country.

“It was one of the biggest thrills I’ve had - to walk onto the center court and see ‘Independence, Kansas’ on the video board at Arthur Ashe Stadium.”

On being inducted into the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame, Brown said: “It’s very, very humbling. A few of the other (USTA Kansas area coaches) I know such as JC Louderback and George MIlton, I’ve had great respect for years and years. I’m honestly not sure I’m in the same class as them.”

Fred Johnson Kansas City, Missouri

Fred Johnson made an indelible difference when it came to diversity and inclusion in tennis. Johnson was a constant innovator and organizer and spent his career working to introduce tennis to underserved populations.

A standout basketball player at Emporia State University, Johnson first got involved in tennis in 1990 as a manager and instructor for five sites of the Ashe-Bolliteri tennis program. When the Davis Cup match between the US and Germany was played in Kansas City in 1991, Johnson held a community tennis camp for the Boys and Girls Club.

“Fred was an athlete and he played football and basketball, but when he found tennis he realized that not everyone could be a good football player or basketball player. But he realized tennis allowed you to play as an individual or on a team,” said Brenda Johnson, Fred’s widow.

In 1996, Johnson joined the USTA Missouri Valley staff, eventually becoming the Manager for Diversity and inclusion. Fred served in that role until 2015 when he passed away after a strong battle with cancer.

It didn’t take long before he created the “Tennis in the Hood,” program along with a strong group of volunteers, which introduced tennis to 40,000 children in 11 cities across the section over the years. He also created ‘Slammin and Jammin’ basketball and tennis camps with the assistance of Lynette Woodard, the first female Harlem Globetrotter.

“Most people don’t get to see their purpose in life,” said Brenda Johnson. “But Fred did. He realized his purpose and he was lucky in that respect.”

He worked closely with various communities. He hosted a Native American Tennis Open Forum in Oklahoma City in 1997. He worked to get Margaret Knight appointed as the first Native American female member of the USTA National Diversity Committee. A year later, in 2002, he assisted in getting Jerry Bale appointed to the same committee as the first Native American male member.

Another passion of Johnson’s was working closely with wheelchair tennis players, hosting a number of clinics during his career, including organizing Northland Racquet Club’s first wheelchair tournament.

Johnson was also an active volunteer. He was the first male board member for WIN for KC, the Stephanie Waterman Foundation, and also at the Native American Tennis Association Championship for 14 years.

Johnson organized the annual “All Stars” event for adaptive tennis players in 2009. The event that welcomes adaptive tennis groups from throughout the section for a weekend of tennis and other fun activities continues today in Johnson’s memory.

On being inducted into the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame, Brenda Johnson said: “I think that he would be so honored that three years after his passing, people still remember the things he tried to do, and the things he tried to pursue and the accomplishments he made. He’d be really pleased.”

Mark Platt

Clayton, Missouri

Ask a tennis player in St. Louis how he or she got their start in the game, and there’s a good chance they’ll say, “Mark Platt.”

Platt first started teaching tennis through the free University City tennis program, the same program where Platt learned the game under USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame member Earl Buchholz Sr. Platt has spent over 30 years teaching beginners the basics of tennis at the most grassroots level through his company, “Beginner’s World Tennis” which he founded in 1984.

“I always played tennis and loved tennis. It just worked out I was able to make a career out of it,” Platt said. “I found my niche, which was the beginners.”

The program has grown to include 1,000 players weekly across five sites. Platt currently has a staff of 10 people.

Platt uses the game of tennis to work with charitable causes, too. He annually raises money for the Siteman Cancer Center in St. Louis through his “Rally Tennis for Cancer” fundraiser.

Whether it’s a middle school or college, Platt has spent a considerable amount of time in schools during his career. Through his Mobile Tennis Academy, he introduces tennis in physical education programs to thousands of students.” He works with St. Louis University during its freshmen orientation to introduce tennis to hundreds of students each year.

Platt has been recognized on the national level for his contributions to tennis. In 2017, Platt was awarded the Janet Louer USTA Junior Team Tennis Organizer of the Year.

Platt was selected by Tennis Industry Magazine as a Community Tennis Local Hero in 2016.

He also received the Eve Kraft Community Service Award from the USTA in 2004.

“I see the positive it creates, the jobs, the way the kids move on and become successful,” Platt said. “It’s motivating.”

Dozens of his students have gone on to have successful high school and college tennis careers. In fact there have even been marriages between his students, with their children eventually being signed up for Platt’s program.

“It’s rewarding,” Platt said. “How I measure my success is how my kids do.”

On being inducted into the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame, Platt said: “I felt like I’d be honored later. I don’t feel like I’m done. There are some new programs that I’m trying now. That’s what I like with what I do. Win or lose, I’m always trying new things.”

Pat Purcell

St. Louis, Missouri

As a junior, Patricia Purcell was one of the best players in the USTA Missouri Valley. Several decades later, she remains one of the best players in the country at her age level. In addition to being a player, she’s also been a successful organizer within the USTA St. Louis community.

Purcell began her career playing junior tournaments at Dwight Davis Tennis Center.

Between 1966 and 1972, she was frequently ranked the no. 1 player in St. Louis and the Missouri Valley.

She went on to play collegiately at Washington University in St. Louis beginning in 1973, however spent the first two years of her career on the men’s team as the women’s team was yet to be established.

Following graduation, she continued to play through the 1980s, remaining a top ranked player in the USTA Missouri Valley.

Purcell, who was a longtime owner of Westchester Tennis Club, has been a USPTA Elite Professional since 1988, and served as Assistant Women’s Coach at Washington University from 1994-1999. Those obligations led her to stop playing competitively in 1990. When she returned in 2010, she picked up where she left off.

“I felt people had forgotten that I could play,” Purcell said. “I wanted to remind everyone I work with, especially my students, that I can still play tennis.”

Since 2010, she’s won six USTA Gold Balls, and seven silver and bronze balls. She was a member of the Maureen Connolly Cup team, consisting of the best 55 & over players in the US, in 2013, and the Alice Marble Cup Team, consisting of the best 60 & over players in the US in 2017, and competed on the National Women’s 60s Cup Team in August of 2018.

She finished 2017 as the No. 4 ranked player in both singles and doubles in 2017, and remains in the top five in both singles and doubles in 2018.

She’s also captained dozens of USTA League teams consisting of players she taught dating back to 1998.

She also runs one of the largest World TeamTennis league programs in the country and in 2001, Purcell was named the World TeamTennis Coordinator of the Year. In 2011, she was named the USPTA Missouri Valley Player of the Year for the 55s division and USPTA Missouri Pro of the Year, as well as USTA St. Louis District Player of the Year.

“I’m very, very grateful to the St. Louis tennis community,” Purcell said. “If they don’t allow me to have the courts for World TeamTennis, or to teach on, I can’t do what I do.”

In 2016, she was named both the USTA St. Louis and USTA Missouri Valley Player of the Year and was also inducted into the USTA Tennis St. Louis Hall of Fame. In 2018, she was inducted into the Washington University Sports Hall of Fame.

On being inducted into the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame, Purcell said: “My students wrote letters for me and I didn’t see the letters until Dee Wharton showed them to me. It really took my breath away to read what people wrote about me. It’s really the best ever.”

Kim Reser

Springfield, Missouri

Kim Reser has impacted the game of tennis. From a player, organizer, official, volunteer, Reser has demonstrated a dedication to the game throughout her career.

Reser learned to play the game through the public parks system and Marshall Junior Tennis League in her hometown of Marshall, Missouri.

After playing on the high school team, she went on to play at William Jewell College from 1986 to 1990 where she was the No. 1 player on the team. Following graduation, she also earned her PTR certification in Hilton Head, South Carolina in 1990, a certification she still currently holds. In 1993, Reser served as the interim William Jewell College head womens’s coach for one season.

She joined the USTA Missouri Valley as director of Adult Programs and Championships between 1995 and 1997, before beginning her career with the Springfield-Greene County Park Board as the Community Tennis Director, overseeing what was then a fledgling Cooper Tennis Complex. She held various positions with the Park Board before landing in her current role as Assistant Director of Recreation in 2011.

“Being able to utilize the game of tennis to help communities grow good citizens, that’s really what drives me,” Reser said. “It gives me the opportunity to see smiles on kids’ faces.”

In 2002, Reser served as the Administrator for Business and Court operations for the United States’ Fed Cup match against Israel held in Springfield. It was the first major tennis event in the US following the attacks in September 11, 2001. Reser was the venue and game day manager as the US was victorious in the match.

Beyond her day-to-day job keeping her involved in tennis, Reser has also served as a volunteer for the USTA and the National Recreation and Parks Association.

“I think with how good tennis was to me, I always wanted to give back,” Reser said. “Also, coming from a small town, I felt it was important to give back.”

At the national level, she served on the USTA Leagues, USTA Parks and USTA Awards committees, respectively. She was also a USTA liaison to over 10 USTA League National Championships, and served as a tournament director for a number of national level tournaments.

She was an officer on the USTA Missouri Valley Board of Directors from 2005 to 2016. She also served as a board liaison, committee chair and vice chair. She also served as treasurer.

Reser has also officiated, beginning in the early 2000s. She was a line judge for Springfield Lasers’ matches, professional exhibitions, USTA Pro Circuit matches and other high-level events.

On being inducted into the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame, Reser said: “When you think about the opportunities I’ve been afforded, it’s because of other people. I just got the opportunity to jump in and help provide tennis programs to kids and adults in communities.

That’s rewarding in and of itself.”

2018

Award Recipients Junior Player of the Year (Female) - Sami Remis (St. Louis, Missouri) Junior Player of the Year (Male) - A.J. Woodman (Weldon Springs, Missouri) Junior Recreational Player of the Year (Female) - Erin Coleman (Ferguson, Missouri) Junior Recreational Player of the Year (Male) -Grant Dahl (St. Louis, Missouri) Outstanding Junior Tournament - USTA L2 National Tournament (Edmond, Oklahoma) USTA Junior Team Tennis Organizer - Janet Glaser (Wichita, Kansas) Outstanding Contributor Youth High Performance Program - Eric Rand (Olathe, Kansas) Outstanding Contributor Youth Tennis -Sara Rasmussen (Wichita, Kansas) High School Coach of the Year - Patrick Huewe (St. Louis, Missouri) Adult Player of the Year - Wilbur Jones (Kansas City, Missouri) Adult Recreational Player of the Year - Heather Blumel (Omaha, Nebraska) Outstanding Contributor USTA League Tennis Program - Marcia Jacelone (Overland Park, Kansas) Outstanding Adult/Senior Tournament 18 & Over Mixed Section Championship (Omaha, Nebraska) Tennis Family of the Year - The Minihan Family (Edmond, Oklahoma) Facility of the Year - Woods Tennis Center (Lincoln, Nebraska) Outstanding Community Tennis Association First Serve (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) Member Organization of the Year - Dwight Davis Tennis Center (St. Louis, Missouri) Outstanding Official - John Kelly (St. Louis, Missouri) Media Excellence - Mediacom (Springfield, Missouri) Outstanding Diversity Achievement - Kevin Heim (Lincoln, Nebraska) Distinguished Service - Steve Henry (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) President’s Award - Surprise Announcement

Female Junior Player of the Year

Sami Remis - St. Louis, Missouri • Played national USTA tournaments in Atlanta and Las Vegas as well as finished fifth out of 64 competitors in Minneapolis • Competed at the Girls 16s National Clay Courts in Memphis and the G16 National Hard Courts in San Diego • Ranked No. 8 in USTA Missouri Valley Girls 16s and No. 15 in Girls 18s • Member of both USTA Missouri Valley and National Junior Leadership Councils • State high school singles finalist as a freshman (2016) and state champion as a sophomore (2017)

Male Junior Player of the Year

A.J. Woodman - Weldon Springs, Missouri • National team player in July • USTA Missouri Valley scholarship recipient for the second year to Newcomb Academy • USTA national Level 3 Doubles Champion in April • USTA national ranking No. 196 • USTA Missouri Valley B18 ranking No. 7 • USTA St. Louis B18 ranking No. 1 • Hits with younger kids when his own lesson is finished • Has committed to play tennis at West Point Academy next year

Female Junior Recreational Player of the Year

Erin Coleman - Ferguson, Missouri • Began playing tennis and Junior Team Tennis at age nine • Played 10 and Under Orange ball in 2014, 12 and Under Green ball in 2015, 14 and Under Intermediate Silver in 2016, 14 and Under Intermediate Silver in 2017 • Played 18 and Under Intermediate Silver-Spring Girls in 2018 • Participates in USTA tournaments in both singles and doubles as she works to establish a ranking prior to beginning high school • Taken group lessons with the Net Rushers Tennis Program since 2011

Male Junior Recreational Player of the Year

Grant Dahl - St. Louis, Missouri • Began playing tennis at age eight, participating in camps at Creve Coeur Racquet Club and the Highlands • Began playing Junior Team Tennis in 2015 as a 12 and Under Green Ball player and has played every year since • Moved up to 12 and Under Yellow Ball in 2016 and 14 and Under Advanced in 2017 and 2018 • Also played on an 18 and Under Intermediate Gold team this summer • Qualifed for and played in USTA Missour Valley Futures and Super tournaments

Outstanding Junior Tournament

USTA L2 National Tournament - Edmond, Oklahoma • First USTA national junior tournament to ever be held in Edmond, Oklahoma • Short planning period due to original host dropping out • Four day event with 64 players • Despite inclement weather, staff secured ample indoor courts, communicated the delays efficiently and finished the day with all scheduled matches completed • Ample officials, staff and volunteers at both Kickingbird Tennis Center and Oak Tree Country Club made for a great event • Organized a complimentary non-profit clinic utilizing the NJTL chapter, Play It Forward, and reached out to future athletes through the Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma • Eleven national players volunteered to spend their Friday evening being tennis buddies at the clinic

USTA Junior Team Tennis Organizer

Janet Glaser - Wichita, Kansas • Restarted the Junior Team Tennis program in Kansas over four years ago and has grown it into a strong program • Families and coaches now rearrange summer schedules to make it possible for their kids to participate in USTA Kansas Summer Junior Team Tennis advancing league • Offers both 18 & Under and 14 & Under divisions • In 2018 there were 94 kids in the league, an increase of 24 from the previous year • Working with a local facility to develop a Junior Team Tennis winter league

Outstanding Contributor Youth High Performance Program

Eric Rand - Olathe, Kansas • Created an outstanding program that develops tennis players in their quest for both national rankings and college competition • Stresses both physical and mental training • Had four No. 1 players ranked in 2017-2018 • Sent four players off to play tennis at Division I colleges this season • Has had a player ranked No. 1 in the USTA Missouri Valley for 15 straight years • Coaches Nam Pham, who won the summer Sweet 16 as well as the National L2 tourney in Edmond, Oklahoma

Outstanding Contributor Youth Tennis

Sara Rasmussen - Wichita, Kansas • Took over management responsibilities at the Ralph Wulz Riverside Tennis Center in spring 2018 • Served as tournament director and organizer for Smashers, NET, Junior Open and district junior events • Participates in the USTA Missouri Valley Tournament Director Mentorship program under Simon Norman • Registered NetGeneration provider • Participates in the School Partnership Program with Colvin Elementary School

High School Coach of the Year

Patrick Huewe - St. Louis, Missouri • Head coach of both the Boys’ and Girls’ tennis teams at Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School (MICDS) • Began his coaching career at MICDS in 2000 • Served as an advisor for boys’ tennis on the Missouri State High School Athletic Association (MSHSAA) Tennis Advisory Committee overseeing rules and regulations 2013-2017 • In 2018, the girls’ team finished third in the Class 1 State team tournament • The boys’ team won four consecutive MSHSAA Class 1 State Championships from 2013-2016 • Coached freshman Evan Erb to the 2018 Class 1 State Singles title • Instills the values of hard work and team building from the first day of practice

Adult Player of the Year

Wilbur Jones - Kansas City, Missouri • A true example of “tennis is the sport of a lifetime” • National ranking No. 1 in doubles and No. 2 in singles • Won Gold Balls at USTA National Men’s 75 & 80 Grass Court Championship in singles and doubles • Won Gold Balls at USTA National Men’s 40, 45, 80, 85 & 90 Indoor Championships in singles and doubles • Won a Gold Ball at Wilson World Tennis Classic Cat II in mixed doubles • Won a Silver Ball at Wilson World Tennis Classic-Super Cat II in singles

Adult Recreational Player of the Year

Heather Blumel - Omaha, Nebraska • Signed up for a beginners’ tennis league in 1998 • Competed on eight USTA teams in 2018, captaining four of them • Three of her teams qualified for sectionals • Finished 2017 ranked No. 1 in 4.0 doubles in USTA Missouri Valley, qualifying her for the inaugural National Tournament in Florida this past spring • A frequent volunteer at junior and adult tournaments, Assistant Tennis Coach for College of Saint Mary and current USTA Nebraska president

Outstanding Contributor USTA League Tennis Program

Marcia Jacelone - Overland Park, Kansas • Captained or co-captained 74 USTA League teams since 2003 • Captained or co-captained 32 USTA League teams from 2014-18 • Her 18 & Over 4.0 women’s team won USTA Nationals in 2017 • Mulitple World TeamTennis National Qualifying teams, including two in 2018 at 4.0 and 4.5 levels, respectively

Outstanding Adult/Senior Tournament

18 & Over Mixed Section Championship - Omaha, Nebraska • Hosted September 14-16 at Koch Tennis Center for over 240 mixed players • Key elements to the event’s success were advanced planning, hard work, great volunteers and unique ideas • Some volunteers drove more than two hours to work at the tournament desk • Volunteers were knowledgeable with tournament and court logistics, match schedules, and advice on things to do in the area • Volunteers helped hand out and cook food for the players • Officials were abundant and knowledgeable, with the USTA Missouri Valley Chair of Officials serving as referee

Tennis Family of the Year

The Minihan Family - Edmond, Oklahoma • Involved in the Oklahoma tennis community for over 20 years • Manage Kickingbird Tennis Center in Edmond, Oklahoma • Host tournaments and clinics from the local to National level • David serves as USTA Oklahoma Executive Director • Lisa is Director of Athletic Operations at Oak Tree Country Club overseeing the tennis and fitness departments • She is also the incoming USTA Missouri Valley President, and has served on the executive committee for several years • Aspen competes in USTA Oklahoma and USTA Missouri Valley tournaments, Junior Team Tennis teams and high school tennis • Chloe plays USTA Oklahoma tournaments, Junior Team Tennis, and has been selected to participate in the EDC camps • Chloe has also developed her own charitable outreach called Attire for a Smile and has partnered with Play It Forward to raise funds to provide clothing for underprivileged children in the tennis community

Facility of the Year

Woods Tennis Center - Lincoln, Nebraska • Continues to upgrade following a grand opening of its new six-court indoor facility in 2017 • Finalized upgrades on six outdoor courts, including resurfacing, new fencing and viewing areas in 2018 • Other amenities added in 2018 include a new ice machine, Wi-Fi on the entire grounds and a new office/meeting space • The facility now consists of six indoor courts and 12 outdoors, six of which are lighted • Entire facility not only meets, but exceeds, ADA standards, accommodating wider sport wheelchairs that can fit through every doorway, stall, and shower • These accommodations helped to bring in one of five All-Comers Camps for wheelchair players across the country, with players from six states and coaches from the national staff •Also hosted a Train the Trainer workshop for future wheelchair coaches

Outstanding Community Tennis Association

First Serve - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • First Serve’s mission is to strengthen the lives and enhance the character of Oklahoma City youth through tennis and education • Established in 2013, thanks to the leadership of Mark Allen, an Oklahoma native and entrepreneur who had a vision for the future of tennis for the city • The first camp served 30 students for nine weeks at the Oklahoma City Tennis Center in 2014 • Has grown to serve over 1,000 students annually through the “Serving Up Aces” program with the Oklahoma City Public Schools, 120 students in Summer Camp, and 50 students in the “Play It Forward” afterschool program

Member Organization of the Year

Dwight Davis Tennis Center - St. Louis, Missouri • Runs five USTA sanctioned adult, junior and family tournaments • Staff members include Jess Campbell, wheelchair tennis teacher, and Judy Dippold, who is active with USTA St. Louis Junior Competition and USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame committees • Offers NJTL programs for Metro East and The Biome School Community • Gateway Tennis Association provided courts for more than 15 USTA programs or events • Donated court time for more than 20 fundraisers and special events • Upgraded the lights on 10 of its 18 courts and converted Stadium Court (which was largely unplayable due to its uneven court surface) into four Pickleball courts

Outstanding Official

John Kelly - St. Louis, Missouri • President of SLATO (St. Louis Association of Tennis Officials) since 2016 • Serves on the USTA St. Louis Officials Committee • Worked over 300 hours on USTA junior and adult events in 2018 almost twice as much as any other St. Louis official • Worked 650 hours on USTA tournaments over the past two years • Tournament referee for 13 of the 26 USTA events held in St. Louis, including all USTA Missouri Valley Futures events and Adult Sectionals • Worked 24 ITA college dual matches in 2018 - the most of any St. Louis official

Media Excellence

Mediacom - Springfield, Missouri • Don West and Doug Elly provided commentary for Springfield Lasers matches in 2018 • Provided 20 hours of live broadcasting for WTT.TV • Produced and aired the team’s seven home matches • Invested over $20,000 to broadcast Lasers’ matches this year on WTT.TV and Midwest Mediacom, reaching tennis fans across southern Missouri and the United States

Outstanding Diversity Achievement

Kevin Heim - Lincoln, Nebraska • Became Head Pro at Woods Tennis Center in 2008 • Created programming that reaches into the public schools, partnering with other non-profit community centers • Maintains a partnership with Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital for wheelchair tennis • Worked with over 1,200 junior participants across the entire city this summer • Programming outside of Woods consists of junior lessons at 10 public parks and high schools in the summer and 15 non-profit recreation and community centers • Named USTA National Wheelchair Quad Team Coach for Team USA at the World Team Cup in Apeldoorn, Netherlands

Distinguished Service

Steve Henry - Oklahoma City, Oklahoma • Served as USTA Oklahoma Board of Directors quadrant representative in 2008 • Served as USTA Oklahoma Board of Directors Vice President - Adults from 2009-2013 • Was a member of USTA Oklahoma Foundation Board of Directors from 2013-2016 • Served as USTA Oklahoma President from 2014-2016 • Joined the USTA Missouri Valley Board of Directors in 2014 and currently serves as secretary • Has served on the USTA National Junior Team Tennis Committee since 2017 • Director of Tennis at the Earlywine Tennis Center since 2007 • Director of Tennis at Oklahoma City Tennis Center since 2010 • Bart and Nadia Sports Experience Tennis Manager since 2012 • USTA League player every year since 1982 • USTA Tournament Director for 119 tournaments in the past 11 years, including 83 district tournaments, 19 section tournaments, 14 National tournaments and three Men’s Pro Circuit $15,000 events

President’s Award

Surprise Announcement

2018 Junior Sportsmanship Award Recipients

Girls 10s Girls 12s Girls 14s Girls 16s Girls 18s Boys 10s Boys 12s Boys 14s Boys 16s Boys 18s

Emmy Kinder Allison Wayne Megan Nguyen Lily Walther Emily Sloan-Johnston Joey Fox Jai Patel Ayush Negi Colby Klotz Nathan Turtledove

Chesterfield, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri Tulsa, Oklahoma St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri Arkansas City, Kansas Leawood, Kansas

History

Highlights 2018: • Jack Sock teams up with Mike Bryan to win the Wimbledon gentlemen’s doubles title, and the US Open men’s doubles title.

• An 18 & over 4.0 women’s team from Topeka, Kansas captained by Michelle Bettis finished second at the USTA League National Championships.

• Springfield Lasers win the World TeamTennis championship, bringing the King Cup to Springfield for the first time in franchise history.

2017: • The Heart of America 18 & Over 4.0 team captained by Romy Carlson wins the USTA League National Championship. The St. Louis 18 & Over 2.5 team captained by Britney Coffey was also named National Co-Champions.

• Jack Sock wins the Paris Masters 1000, earning a spot in the ATP World Finals in London.

• Rock Island, Ill. native Madison Keys finishes as runner-up at the US Open to Sloane Stephens.

2016: • Jack Sock of Lincoln, Neb., earns a gold medal in mixed doubles and bronze medal in doubles at the 2016 Olympic Games. Wichita, Kan.native Nick Taylor earns a silver medal in the quad doubles division at the Paralympics in Rio. • Barbara Fackel of Rock Island, Ill., receives the Barbara Williams Service Award.

• Carson Haskins of Ballwin, Mo. won the Boys 16s singles division at the Asics Easter Bowl. Haskins finished as the top-ranked player in the Boys 16s national rankings.

2015: • Nathan Han of Tulsa, Okla., won the USTA Boys 14s National Championships in August, earning a coveted USTA Gold Ball.

• The 18 & Over, 4.5 women’s team from Edmond, Okla., captured the USTA League National Championship in Rancho Mirage, Calif. This year was also the 35th anniversary of USTA Leagues.

2014: • Lincoln, Neb. native Jack Sock wins the Wimbledon Gentlemen’s doubles title with partner Vasek Pospisil over Mike and Bob Bryan. It’s Sock’s second grand slam title.

• Fed Cup held in St. Louis at Chaifetz Arena: France 3, USA 2 2013: • Nick Taylor and his long-time doubles partner, David Wagner, notch their fourth Australian Open Grand Slam doubles title, January 25, in Melbourne.

2002: • Fed Cup held in Springfield, Missouri at Cooper Tennis Complex: USA 5, Israel 0 1997: • D. A. Abrams becomes the first African American to serve as the executive director of a USTA section office by becoming the USTA Missouri Valley executive director.

1985/1986 • Section office moves from Des Moines, Iowa to Kansas City, Missouri.

1968: • World Championship Tennis, Inc. brings professional tournament to Des Moines, Iowa; includes international players such as John Newcombe and Tony Roche of Australia, and Cliff Drysdale of South Africa.

1959: • Total number of MVTA (Missouri Valley Tennis Association) Registrations: 1,191 1928: • Davis Cup held in Kansas City, Missouri - Rockhill Tennis Club: USA 5, China 0 1920: • MVTA founded and admitted as part of the USLTA 1881: • A small group of tennis club members form the world’s first national governing body for tennis: the United States National Lawn Tennis Association (later to be known as the USTA).

This is just a small portion of the important moments in USTA MissouriValley history.

To view the full historical timeline, please visit the History tab at USTA.com/ustamissourivalley.