Jackie Guy, Woman of the Year
January 21, 2010 08:47 AM
On Jan. 30, USTA Eastern will hold its annual awards dinner, recognizing the ways its members have helped promote and develop the growth of tennis.
Jackie Guy, of West Nyack, NY, will receive the Woman of the Year Award.
We asked Guy about some of her experiences in tennis.
What is your earliest memory of playing tennis?
My earliest memory of playing tennis: I had no interest in tennis as a sport until the early eighties. I had always been sports-minded but felt there was little athletics involved in tennis. When a group of friends invited me to join them to try the sport, I agreed with some reservation. After the first game, I was hooked.
In all of your years in the sport, what achievement are you most proud of?
I am most proud of developing a method of teaching young children to learn and enjoy the sport of tennis. I am also proud of being instrumental in the downsizing of racquets expressly for the use of very young children. I developed "Introduction to Tennis" as an after-school program for elementary schools in Rockland County, NY. This program is still taking place "before" and after-school.
What was the most difficult challenge you faced in tennis, and how did you overcome it?
My most difficult challenge in achieving the aforementioned goal was and is convincing manufacturers that children are a prime source of customers in the future. Children as young as three years of age are now learning tennis and enjoy it!
If you could have dinner with any person in history, who would you choose and why?
Charlemagne, king of France, would be my first choice as a dinner partner. He emphasized the need for education even while France was a monarchy.