Every year, USTA Georgia recognizes the outstanding accomplishments made by tennis players, coaches, tournaments directors and other professionals across the state. Below you’ll find the list of award winners for 2025. They were officially recognized at the 2026 Community Tennis Development Workshop at the JW Marriott Buckhead. Congratulations to all of them on their achievements in tennis across the state of Georgia! (photos courtesy of Dane Sponberg – Raftermen)
Special thanks goes to Sam Crenshaw of 92.9 The Game and CBS News Atlanta for being our Master of Ceremonies.
Special recognition goes to Patsy Bendall (Local League Coordinator of the Year Award), Ashley Dalton (Mac MacDougal Tennis Official of the Year Award), Rob Popelka (Wheelchair Excellence Award) and Robert Brown (Janet Louer Junior Team Tennis Coordinator of the Year Award) for also receiving the USTA Southern award in their respective category.
Presidents Award
Tabitha Spooner
Ruth Ryner Lay Award
for Lifetime Achievement
Sam Kennedy
John Callen
“Excellence in Leadership” Award
Sara Dismuke
Wheelchair Excellence Award
Rob Popelka
Adaptive Tennis Award
Macon Area Tennis Association’s “Vet Therapy”
Adult Tournament of the Year
Southern NTRP Clay Court Championships
Charles H. Cox, Jr. Award for
Adult Player of the Year
Manuel Bustamante
Dr. Robert Bunnen Community Tennis Association of the Year
Chatahoochee Area Tennis Association (CHATA)
First Horizon Bank
Tennis Professional of the Year
Taylor Dodd
Kathleen & Cannon Carr
High School Coach of the Year
Angela Bell
Early County High School
Janet Louer Junior Team Tennis Coordinator of the Year
Robert Brown
Jerry Baskin Scholar
Athlete of the Year
Kendall Rawlings
Signature Courts Award for
Tennis Director of the Year
Seth Redelheim
Randy Stephens Award for
State Volunteer Service
Edna Foster
Local League
Coordinator of the Year
Patsy Bendall
Mac MacDougal
Tennis Official of the Year
Ashley Dalton
USTA League Female Captain of the Year
Candra McRae
USTA League Male Captain of the Year
Matt Edmonson
Junior Tournament of the Year
Level 4 Open (RTBC)
NJTL Chapter of the Year
Macon Area TA NJTL
Richard C. Botsch
Educational Merit Award
Leaders Love Girls
Leadership Camp
Marc Kaplan Media
Excellence Award
GoTennis! Podcast
Al Parker Junior Player
of the Year
James Weber
Hardie Family Award for Junior Sportsmanship of the Year
Sadira Ouyang
James Kincaid Family Award for Family of the Year
The Derek Lashley Family
Team Tennis Event of the Year
Mary Hatfield JTT Invitational
Member Organization of the Year
South Atlanta Community Tennis Association
Special Tennis Event of the Year
Mitchell County Pro Invitational Tennis Tournament
USTA Junior Team Tennis
Captain of the Year
Linda Sun