2022 Wyoming Tennis Award Winners Announced
A Celebration of the Individuals and Organizations that make Wyoming Tennis Great will take place on October 8th in Casper
Laramie, WY (Sept 9, 2022) The Wyoming Tennis Association is preparing to celebrate the individuals and organizations that helped tennis shine in communities across the Cowboy State in 2022. Ten individuals will be recognized at the Wyoming Tennis Awards Luncheon taking place at Racca’s Pizzeria Napoletana on October 8th in Casper, WY. Award Committee members including Chair Diane McGee of Jackson, Jason Anderson of Rawlins and Josh Cossitt of Cheyenne worked hard to solicit nominations, select the winners and notify each nominee of their selection. The list of 2022 Wyoming Tennis Award categories and the winners are listed below.
2022 Wyoming Tennis Award Winners
Marie Robertson Lifetime Achievement Award: This award, named after Marie Robertson of Casper, a long-time volunteer who founded the Wyoming Tennis Association and is a member of the 2021 USTA Intermountain Hall of Fame, is given from time to time for individual and extraordinary lifetime service to tennis within the Wyoming District. The inaugural award was first introduced in 1991 and given to Marie Robertson of Casper. Fritz Wasmuth of Cody
Art Frakt Adult Volunteer of the Year Award: This award, named after Art Frakt of Jackson, a longtime USTA Wyoming player, official and volunteer, is given annually to an individual who has made valuable contributions to the growth & development of tennis in USTA Wyoming by working as a volunteer at the local and/or district level. This person has demonstrated a passion for giving back to their community or school through tennis by starting a new program such as 10 & under tennis, junior team tennis, entry level tournaments, growing league programs or helping existing programs thrive. Adults are 18 & older. Diane McGee of Jackson
Organization of the Year Award: This award is given annually to a USTA Organizational Member which could include Community Tennis Associations, parks & recreation districts, schools (ES, MS and/or HS), clubs (i.e., Boys & Girls Clubs, etc.) and after-school providers. Honors an organization that stands out as a leader in the district, supporting community tennis programs and local community. The organization coordinates and maintains programs and services, guaranteeing they are open and accessible to all. Teton County Parks & Recreation of Jackson
Family of the Year Award: Recognizes a family’s significant contribution or accomplishments in tennis. Ideally, all members of the family represent the development & promotion of tennis on & off the court on a local and/or district basis. The Nandrup Family of Rock Springs
Diversity and Inclusion Achievement Award: This award is presented to an individual or organization that has championed the cause for diversity both on & off the court. Through hard work, persistence, and unwavering dedication, the nominee has helped to expand the image of tennis to be inclusive of diverse populations. Other considerations are demonstrating a high degree of organizational ability, success in serving all players in the area, quality on/off court programs, management structure & involvement with the community. Kacie Pugel/Cheyenne Adaptive Tennis Program
Courage Award: Given to an individual who has continued their involvement in tennis in the Wyoming district despite experiencing severe hardships and/or life-threatening circumstances. Atticus Spillman of Cheyenne
Media Excellence Award: Includes organizations or individuals active in print, television, radio or digital media. Nominee must live and/or work in the Wyoming district. Coverage of local USTA events, scholastic and community tennis are equally considered. Brayden Flack/Sweetwater Now of Rock Springs
Tournament Director of the Year Award: A tournament director who manages USTA-sanctioned tournaments in the section while providing participants, officials and spectators a quality experience. Those who run multiple events, entry-level events, community friendly events or display innovation & creativity are strongly considered. Josh Cossitt of Cheyenne
Developmental Coach/Teaching Professional/High School Coach of the Year Award: Honors an active instructor or coach who demonstrates a significant contribution to tennis through promotion of USTA programs, service to the community and support of the USTA mission. This person demonstrates a dedication to instilling the love of the game into players in their communities. Josh Cossitt of Cheyenne
Junior Player Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award: This award is based primarily on high performance results at USTA local, district, sectional, national tournaments as well as high school tennis. Equally important is a spotless record of sportsmanship and a demonstration of raising the game to its highest level. Accomplishments in the classroom, such as honor roll, GPA, etc., are also key. Nomination should include a list by year all accomplishments that highlight the nominees’ careers, including ranking information. Examples of accomplishments could include tournaments, invitation to special camps or events, or selection to participate on special teams etc. Finley Klinger of Casper
Junior Volunteer of the Year Award: Presented to a volunteer under the age of 18 that goes above and beyond in spreading love for tennis, encouraging friends to play, takes advantage of opportunities to advance their own personal continuing education by attending coach training/certification events and actively participates in and volunteers at Wyoming tennis events and activities. Kristin Huffman of Cheyenne
About USTA Wyoming: With headquarters in Laramie, USTA Wyoming is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to promote and develop tennis in communities across Wyoming for people of all ages and abilities. Affiliated Community Tennis Associations are located in Casper, Cheyenne, Green River, Jackson, Laramie and Sheridan. To learn more about USTA Wyoming, please visit www.ustawyoming.com.
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