Kirk Anderson, the U.S. Tennis Association’s director of recreational coaches and programs, has been named “Person of the Year” by Racquet Sports Industry magazine in the publication’s November/December 2006 issue. Anderson led off the magazine’s sixth annual “Champions of Tennis Awards,” which honors people and organizations dedicated to improving the sport and business of tennis. “Kirk is truly an amazing person within the tennis industry,” said Peter Francesconi, the editorial director of Racquet Sports Industry. “His creativity and advocacy has led to many programs that are bringing more people into the game, his upbeat attitude is easily shared by his very talented staff at the USTA, and he is totally dedicated to the recreational sport.”
RSI magazine lauded Anderson, of New Fairfield, Conn., for his “pivotal role within the industry as one of tennis’s premier teachers of tennis teachers.” Anderson, who has been involved in teaching tennis since the 1970s, joined the USTA’s national office in 1996. Prior to that, he spent two years as the director of education for the U.S. Professional Tennis Association, an organization of teaching professionals.
Ironically, Anderson was kicked off his college tennis team when he said he had taught tennis for money at a summer recreational program. After that, he said, he vowed to continue to teach and to “become the best teacher I possibly could.”
Some key initiatives Anderson currently is working on includes “Recreational Coach Workshops,” designed to get parents and other volunteers involved in teaching and coaching recreational players; a school tennis initiative that includes “no-cut” high school programs, where any student is welcome on the tennis team, and teams with dozens of players are common; and a “transition-ball” project, which uses foam balls and other low-compression balls, combined with shorter courts, to help get beginners into tennis.
RSI (www.racquetsportsindustry.com), the world’s largest magazine geared toward the tennis industry, also named winners in 16 other categories for its 2006 Champions of Tennis Awards:
- Private Facility of the Year: Midtown Tennis Center, Chicago
- Stringer of the Year: Grant Morgan, Memphis, Tenn.
- Court Builder/Contractor of the Year: Courtsmiths, Toledo, Ohio
- Sales Rep of the Year: Jim Willwerth, Jupiter, Fla.
- Chain Retailer/Mass Merchant of the Year: PGA Tour Superstores, Atlanta
- Pro/Specialty Retailer of the Year: Swetka’s Tennis Shop, Mountain View, Calif.
- Junior Development Champion of the Year: Bwana Chakar Simba, Los Angeles
- Grassroots Champion of the Year: Beverly Bourguet, Albuquerque, N.M.
- Municipal Facility of the Year: Cary Tennis Park, Cary, N.C.
- Wheelchair Champion of the Year: Bruce Karr, Boynton Beach, Fla.
- Public Park of the Year: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
- Community Tennis Association of the Year: Montgomery County (Md.) Tennis Association
- Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) Member of the Year: Ajay Pant, Overland Park, Kan.
- U.S. Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) Member of the Year: Brett Hobden, Naples, Fla.
- High School Coach of the Year: David Steinbach, Brookfield, Wis.
- USTA Section of the Year: Texas
Complete coverage can be found in the November/December issue of RSI magazine which is already shipping to subscribers.
