2025 USTA Georgia Awards Press Release
USTA Georgia today announced the recipients for the organization’s 2025 awards, which recognize outstanding achievements statewide in tennis both on and off the court. Twenty-six (26) awards comprise the full list of honors, and the award winners will be officially recognized at the USTA Georgia Community Tennis Development Workshop in February.
This annual awards ceremony seeks to distinguish outstanding individuals in discipline categories. Winners are nominated by their peers, with the USTA Georgia Awards Committee having the final authority on awards selections.
The Ruth Ryner Lay Award for Lifetime Achievement, Presidents Award and the John Callen “Excellence in Leadership” Award will be announced in due course.
The awards ceremony will take place on the evening of Saturday February 7th at the JW Marriott Buckhead. Below is the list of the 2025 winners:
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- Adaptive Tennis Award – Macon Area Tennis Association’s “Vet Therapy”
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- Adult Tournament of the Year – Southern NTRP Clay Court Championships (Columbus)
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- Al Parker Award for Junior Player of the Year – James Weber (Marietta)
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- Charles H. Cox, Jr. Award for Adult Player of the Year – Manuel Bustamante (LaGrange)
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- Dr. Robert Bunnen Community Tennis Association of the Year – Chattahoochee Area TA
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- Hardie Family Award for Junior Sportsmanship of the Year – Sadira Ouyang (Atlanta)
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- First Horizon Tennis Professional of the Year – Taylor Dodd (Tall Socks Tennis)
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- James Kincaid Family Award for Family of the Year – The Derek Lashley Family (Macon)
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- Janet Louer Junior Team Tennis Coordinator of the Year – Robert Brown (Southeast GA JTT)
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- Jerry Baskin Scholar Athlete of the Year – Kendall Rawlings (Macon)
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- Junior Tournament of the Year – Level 4 Open (Rome Tennis Center at Berry College)
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- Kathleen & Cannon Carr High School Coach of the Year Award – Angela Bell (Early County HS)
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- Local League Coordinator of the Year – Patsy Bendall (Macon Area TA)
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- Mac MacDougal Tennis Official of the Year – Ashley Dalton (Lawrenceville)
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- Marc Kaplan Media Excellence Award – GoTennis! Podcast
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- Member Organization of the Year – South Atlanta Community TA
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- NJTL Chapter of the Year – Macon Area Tennis Association NJTL
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- Randy Stephens Award for State Volunteer Service – Edna Foster (Columbus)
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- Richard C. Botsch Educational Merit Award – Leaders Love Girls Leadership Camp (Macon)
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- Signature Tennis Courts Award for Tennis Director of the Year – Seth Redelheim (Augusta)
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- Special Tennis Event of the Year – Mitchell County Pro Invitational Tennis Tournament (Camilla)
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- Team Tennis Event of the Year – Mary Hatfield Junior Team Tennis Invitational (Rome)
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- USTA Junior Team Tennis Captain of the Year – Linda Sun (Southeast GA JTT)
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- USTA League Female Captain of the Year – Candra McRae (Columbus Regional TA)
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- USTA League Male Captain of the Year – Matt Edmonson (Columbus Regional TA)
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- Wheelchair Excellence Award – Rob Popelka (Atlanta)
