USPTA Awards Honor Standouts in Tennis Profession

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Poornima S. Rimm
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09/21/06 - The United States Professional Tennis Association honored its top teachers, coaches, players, volunteers and managers during its annual national awards ceremony at the USPTA World Conference on Tennis on September 21. USPTA, the world’s oldest and largest association of tennis-teaching professionals, is hosting its annual World Conference Sept. 18-23 at the Flamingo Las Vegas.
Clarence Mabry of San Antonio became the seventh grand inductee into the USPTA’s Hall of Fame. Mabry is both a respected player and tennis-teaching professional, who coached the Trinity University men’s tennis team for 19 years.
Tom Daglis of Canadian Lakes, Mich., received the association’s top annual member award, the Alex Gordon Award for the USPTA Professional of the Year. Daglis, director of the Ferris State University Professional Tennis Management program and general manager of Ferris State University Racquet & Fitness Center, has worked with several accomplished players.
The USPTA Star, recognizing teaching professionals who make an indelible mark on their communities through the sport of tennis, was awarded to two members. Chris Michalowski of Acme, Mich., has contributed to the growth of tennis in the Midwest through his Grand Traverse USA Team Tennis Academy and Rallyball program. It is for these efforts and his commitment to bringing tennis to various Midwest communities that he is also the recipient of the USTA/USPTA Community Service Award. Tony Reyes of Chandler, Ariz., has made major strides bringing tennis into inner-city Phoenix through his grassroots tennis program, Phoenix After School Sports.
Joe Dinoffer of Dallas received the USPTA Industry Excellence Award, recognizing business acumen and a charitable attitude. Dinoffer is founder and president of Oncourt Offcourt Inc. and promotes tennis through education and innovative products. The award is sponsored by the Tennis Industry Association and supported by Tennis Tutor ball machines.
Nick Johnson of Frisco, Texas, received the Facility Manager of the Year Award. Johnson is the director of Lakes Tennis Academy.
Other honorees are:
Francisco Montana, Palmetto Bay, Fla. – Touring Coach of the Year
Steve Wilkinson, St. Peter, Minn. – College Coach of the Year
Beth Miller, Delray Beach, Fla. – High School Coach of the Year
Gary Trost, Oklahoma City – Georgo Bacso Tester of the Year

The following have been named Player of the Year in their respective divisions:
Paulo Barros, Orlando, Fla. – Men’s Open
Jeff Cohen, Heathrow, Fla. – Men’s 35-and-over
Val Wilder, Fort Worth, Texas – Men’s 45-and-over
Tommy Connell, Houston – Men’s 55-and-over
Christina Oldock, Naples, Fla. – Women’s Open
Julie Cass, Austin, Texas – Women’s 35-and-over
Kathy Vick, Lubbock, Texas – Women’s 45-and-over
Avis R. Murray, Gloucester, Mass. – Women’s 55-and-over

USPTA divisions receiving awards are:
USPTA Texas Division – Division of the Year
USPTA Intermountain Division – Newsletter of the Year
USPTA Southern Division – Most Improved Division of the Year

Biographies of the award recipients follow.

Founded in 1927, USPTA strives to raise the standards of the tennis profession while promoting greater awareness of the sport. USPTA offers more than 30 professional benefits to its 14,500 members worldwide, including certification and professional development. With more than 300 days of educational opportunities throughout the year, USPTA offers the most comprehensive continuing education program in the tennis industry. For more information, call (800) 877-8248 or visit www.uspta.com.

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– USPTA award recipient biographies –

Clarence Mabry, San Antonio – USPTA Hall of Fame inductee
There are currently only six grand inductees in the USPTA Hall of Fame. The seventh inductee will be Clarence Mabry, an individual who truly deserves the honor after such a distinguished career.
He is both a respected player and tennis-teaching professional. Mabry joined the USPTA in 1961 and is certified as a Professional 1. In 1955 he established the Trinity University men’s tennis team and went on to develop a nationally recognized program. He led them to the NCAA championship in 1972, and for 18 of his 19 years as coach, his team ranked in the top four NCAA teams, giving him an impressive win-loss record of 319-36. As a player, he was nationally ranked and a state champion, winning the Southwest Conference singles and doubles titles while at the University of Texas at Austin in 1946.
He also coached the San Antonio Racquets and led the team to its first professional national tennis championship in 1986. He is also co-owner of the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, which opened in 1968.

Tom Daglis, Canadian Lakes, Mich. – Alex Gordon Award for the USPTA Professional of the Year
Tom Daglis is a USPTA Master Professional who has been teaching tennis for 28 years. During that time he has worked with several accomplished players, such as Paul McNamee (world No. 1 doubles ranking), Peter McNamara (world No. 1 doubles ranking), Andres Gomez (top five singles world ranking), Vitas Gerulaitis (top five singles world ranking) and Kim Warwick (top 25 singles world ranking). Daglis himself was ranked No. 2 in singles and doubles in USPTA Southern Division, and in college he played for 11th ranked Columbus State University.
His involvement with the USPTA is extensive, having served as president for the Southern Division and currently serving on the USPTA national board as vice president. He is employed as general manager of the Ferris State University Racquet & Fitness Center and director of the Ferris State University Professional Tennis Management Program, which offers a Bachelor of Science degree in business/marketing and is the largest program of its kind in the world. He is the founder and president of Peachtree Tennis Promotions Inc., which provides promotion, marketing and consulting for tennis events and projects. In addition he is a member of the HEAD/Penn Professional Advisory Staff and Speakers Bureau.
Daglis has also worked with several charities, leading juvenile diabetes charity tennis clinics, American Heart Association tennis clinics and Georgia State Games Wheelchair Clinic.

Chris Michalowski, Acme, Mich. – USPTA Star & USTA/USPTA Community Service Award
Chris Michalowski has made tremendous contributions to the growth of tennis and to bringing the game of tennis to communities in the Midwest. He has introduced tennis to more than 6,000 students in Traverse City, Mich. schools through the Grand Traverse USA Team Tennis Academy. He also developed and administered a school-based Rallyball program that local schools are adopting into their curriculum. In addition, he has hosted several fund-raisers, including The Bob Fund-raiser Tournament (for a local member who died of cancer), Girl Scouts Fund-raiser, Junior Tennis Fund, and ESPN 1310 Junior Tennis Scholarship. Michalowski is the director of tennis at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.

Tony Reyes, Chandler, Ariz. – USPTA Star
Five years ago, Tony Reyes followed his heart and went into inner-city Phoenix to start a grassroots tennis program. Today, as head professional and founder of Phoenix After School Sports (PASS), Reyes strives to promote education, life skills and opportunities for disadvantaged students through tennis. The program gives students six weeks of quality tennis instruction in exchange for classroom achievement. More than 700 children have completed the six-week program and Reyes has given clinics to over 1,500 children. PASS continues to grow through Reyes’ efforts. This past year PASS started giving lessons at a targeted high school and both the boys and girls team qualified for the state tournament. The goal for PASS for the upcoming year is to start a tutoring program using tennis as the incentive. Reyes is also a tennis professional at the Boulders Resort and McDowell Mountain Ranch Homeowners association.

Joe Dinoffer, Dallas – USPTA Industry Excellence Award
Joe Dinoffer has used various avenues to serve as an ambassador and promote game of tennis. He has conducted clinics and exhibitions in more than 50 countries, personally logging over 30,000 hours of instruction in English, Spanish and German. He has authored and edited 16 books and over 45 DVDs and videotapes. He also writes regularly for Tennis, Smash, Tennis Life and Racquet Sports Industry magazines and currently has 15 shows airing on The Tennis Channel. As founder and president of Oncourt Offcourt Inc., he helps to serve the needs of tennis, fitness and physical education coaches with innovative training aids and educational tools. He is also a strong supporter of community tennis programs, USTA NJTL and school programs through equipment discounts and financial support. Dinoffer is a dynamic individual who is advancing the industry through education, training and creating innovative products.

Nick Johnson, Frisco, Texas – Facility Manager of the Year
As director of Lakes Tennis Academy, Nick Johnson’s efforts have led to a 354 percent increase in the academy’s tennis membership. The growth in tennis programming from 2004 to 2005 alone has been tremendous, including increases in adult classes, grassroots junior classes, special events and camps. The staff’s education expenses are supported by the academy, which has 500 memberships and includes 12 outdoor hard courts, a fitness center and pool.

Beth Miller, Delray Beach, Fla. – High School Coach of the Year
The Spanish River High School boys and girls teams won the 2005-2006 district and regional Class 4-A tennis titles led by coach Beth Miller. The girls team also won the state championships and the boys finished No. 3 in the state tournament. Both the boys and girls teams had an impressive near-perfect record of 18-1 during this past season under Miller. Since beginning as head coach at Spanish River High School in 1983, Miller has coached five Florida state championship teams.

Steve Wilkinson, St. Peter, Minn. – College Coach of the Year
During his tenure as head men’s tennis coach for Gustavus Adolphus College, which spans over 37 years, Steve Wilkinson has built a dynasty. Under his leadership, the team has won 18 conference titles in a row and 33 of the last 36 conference titles. Wilkinson has amassed an incredibly impressive 325-1 conference record and 885-253 record overall. This past season, the team finished in third place at the NCAA Championships and finished in first place at the ITA Division III Indoor Championships.

Francisco Montana, Palmetto Bay, Fla. – Touring Coach of the Year
In 2005, one of Francisco Montana’s students had standout performances. Robby Ginepri went from being ranked No. 102 to No. 15 in the ATP world rankings under Montana’s guidance. Last summer Ginepri had a breakthrough, winning Indianapolis, making it to the semifinals of two Masters Series events in Cincinnati and Madrid and ultimately getting to play Andre Agassi in the semifinals of the U.S. Open. Montana is a national coach for the USTA.

Gary Trost, Oklahoma City, Okla. – George Bacso Tester of the Year
In the past year as head tester in USPTA’s Missouri Valley Division, Gary Trost has been working avidly toward the goal of getting a tester in every state. He has also been a great asset to the division in his goal of recruiting more members. He has improved the division’s tester network by keeping in constant communication via regular e-mails, before and after tests, and monthly and yearly reports to testers. Trost is the tennis director at Oklahoma City Golf & Country Club.

Paulo Barros, Orlando, Fla. – Men’s Open Player of the Year
In 2005, Paulo Barros was the winner of the USPTA International Championships open division in both singles and doubles. In addition, he was crowned the singles and doubles champion of the USPTA Florida Grand Prix that same year. Barros was the winner of both singles and doubles at the 2006 USPTA Grass Court Championships and was also a finalist for both singles and doubles at the 2006 USPTA National Clay Court Championships. In 2005 he was nationally ranked as USTA’s No. 11 player in men’s singles. Barros is the head tennis professional at Winter Park Racquet Club in Orlando.

Jeff Cohen, Heathrow, Fla. – Men’s 35-and-over Player of the Year
Jeff Cohen was a finalist in men’s 35 singles and doubles in the 2005 USPTA International Championships. He was also among the winners of the USPTA Team Championships and captured the USPTA Florida Grand Prix Naples men’s 35 singles title. Cohen is currently the USPTA’s No. 2-ranked men’s 35 singles and doubles player. He is director of tennis at the Heathrow Country Club.

Val Wilder, Fort Worth, Texas – Men’s 45-and-over Player of the Year
Val Wilder won the 2005 USTA National Men’s Clay Court, Grass Court and Hard Court Championships in men’s 45 singles. He is currently ranked No. 1 in the national USTA men’s 45 singles and ranked No. 1 in the ITF’s men’s 45 singles. Wilder played on the United States’ winning Dubler Cup team at the 2006 ITF World Team Championships. Wilder is the director of tennis at Val Wilder Tennis in Fort Worth.

Tommy Connell, Houston – Men’s 55-and-over Player of the Year
Tommy Connell was crowned the winner of the men’s 55 singles and men’s 50 doubles at the 2005 USPTA International Championships. He was a member of the United States’ Austria Cup team that made it to the finals at the 2006 ITF World Team Championships. He is USTA’s No. 5-ranked player in men’s 55 singles and No. 6 in men’s 55 doubles nationally. Connell is director of tennis at Lakeside Country Club in Houston.

Christina Oldock, Naples, Fla. – Women’s Open Player of the Year
Christina Oldock was the champion of both the women’s doubles and mixed doubles at the 2005 USPTA International Tennis Championships. In addition, she was also a finalist in the women’s singles category for the tournament. Oldock is the director of tennis at Vanderbilt Country Club.

Julie Cass, Austin, Texas – Women’s 35-and-over Player of the Year
Julie Cass has been successful at several tournaments including the 2005 USTA National Grass Court Championships, 2006 Clay Court Championships and 2006 Indoor Championships, where she was the winner of the women’s 35 singles. She was also a finalist at the 2005 USTA National Hard Court Championships for women’s 35 singles. She is currently the USTA’s No. 1-ranked player in women’s 35 singles and doubles nationally and the ITF’s No. 1 player in 35 singles. She was also a member of the United States’ Suzanne Leglen Cup team that made it to the finals at the 2006 ITF World Team Championships. Cass is director of women’s programs at the Westwood Country Club in Austin.

Kathy Vick, Lubbock, Texas – Women’s 45-and-over Player of the Year
Winner of women’s 45 singles and doubles at the 2005 USPTA International Championships, Kathy Vick also won USTA national titles including the 2006 Women’s 45 National Indoor Championships in doubles and was a finalist in women’s 45 doubles at the 2005 USTA National Hard Court Championships. At the 2006 ITF world team and individual championships, she won the 45 singles title. In 2005, she held USTA national rankings of No. 3 in women’s 45 singles and No. 1 in women’s 45 doubles. Vick is head tennis professional at Hillcrest Country Club in Lubbock.

Avis R. Murray, Gloucester, Mass. – Women’s 55-and-over Player of the Year
Finalist in women’s 55 singles at the 2005 USPTA International Championships, Avis Murray won the women’s 65 singles at the USPTA International Championships in both 2002 and 2003. She also won the women’s 55 doubles at the 2003 USPTA International Championships. Murray is the director of tennis at Bass Rocks Golf Club and a tennis professional at Manchester Athletic Club, both in Gloucester, Mass.

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