Hicksville residents honored by tennis association
The U.S. Tennis Association Long Island Region has recognized several Hicksville residents for their tennis playing or volunteering achievements. The group was honored at the USTA Long Island Region’s 23rd Annual Awards Dinner, which recognizes superior efforts both on and off the tennis court.
Terry Fontana received the Vitas Gerulaitis for the Love of Tennis award. She has been a longtime fixture in the Hicksville tennis community and is the driving force behind the Hicksville Community Tennis Association (CTA), which, since 1995, has been promoting the development of tennis as a means of healthy recreation and physical fitness and to create a community resource for physical activity throughout the area.
The Hicksville CTA offers a wide range of programs including USTA 10-and-under lessons, Junior Team Tennis and adult programs. Lessons and events are offered throughout Hicksville at schools and local parks.
Fontana is also a longtime volunteer with the USTA Long Island Regional Board, for whom she coordinates Kids’ Rally Days and other events. The 2012 LI Rally Day was the Region’s largest ever, with several hundred children coming out for tennis lessons given by local pros and World Tennis Champ Chanda Rubin.
The Lapierre family earned the Rose Buck Scalmandre Participating Family of the Year award. The Lapierres—Andrew, Cathy, Danielle and Michelle—have been active in the tennis community in Hicksville for about 10 years.
Daughters Danielle and Michelle participate in all the programs offered by the Hicksville CTA and dad Andrew is a member of the adult leagues.
Danielle and Michelle are tireless volunteers who have helped at every LI Region Rally Day and Kid’s Day event for the last five years as well as at the USTA Long Island Regional Awards Dinner for the past two years. Danielle is now a tennis assistant for the Hicksville CTA and both girls recently assisted at the Holy Family after-school program. Both girls attend Hicksville High School.
Danielle is a senior who will be accepting a scholarship from the Hicksville CTA and attending St. John’s University in the fall, and Michelle is a junior. Over the years, mom Cathy has been a very active tennis advocate by making sure that the girls were at every program and event.
Shawn Kshatriya received the Junior Volunteer of the Year. He has been volunteering for the Hicksville CTA for the last five years at the Rally/Kids Day events. He also volunteers for the USTA LI Region. Kshatriya is a student at LU HI and is in a tennis program at Glen Head Racquet and in Hicksville Junior Team Tennis.
Additionally, the Holy Family School earned the Special Community Service Award. Holy Family School was recognized for opening its doors to the community in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.
With more than 9,000 members, the LI Region is the official home of tennis in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. The Region promotes the growth and development of Long Island tennis and supports USTA programs including Jr. Team Tennis, National Junior Tennis and Learning, High School Tennis, College Tennis, USTA 10 and Under Tennis, USTA League Tennis and community tennis.
The volunteer-based Long Island Region Board of Directors works with USTA members and member organizations to create programs and activities for all the tennis players on Long Island, from small children taking up a racquet for the first time to seniors and everyone in between.For more information on USTA tennis on Long Island please visit www.longisland.usta.com or email ustaonlongisland@gmail.com.
