NORTH ATTLEBORO, Mass. – Joanne Macksoud may not put forth effort and passion to make USTA New England’s Jr. Team Tennis programs a success to win praise from others, but she’s getting it, anyway.
Macksoud, president of the Blackstone Valley Community Tennis Association, has been named USTA New England’s 2007 Section Organizer Award for JTT.
“When I started the league eight years ago, I was just hoping to give some high school kids the chance to play a little more tennis,” Macksoud recalled. “Then it started to get a little bigger. I owe a lot to Doug Chapman [USTA NE Community Coordinator] for helping this grow. This year, I looked out on the courts and saw more than 120 kids playing tennis and I realized how much the league had grown since we started. I’d say that was one of the most rewarding days of my life.”
With the sectional honor, Macksoud becomes a finalist for the USTA’s prestigious Janet Louer National Organizer of the Year Award.
“Joanne is certainly deserving of this award, and what makes her and her CTA successful is the fact that she isn’t driven by recognition,” said Deirdre Tindall, USTA New England’s Director of Community Tennis. “To be as dedicated as she is to Jr. Team Tennis takes a lot of sacrifice and her selfless actions over the years have benefited countless numbers of kids, which I’m certain is reward enough for her.”
The Janet Louer National Organizer of the Year Award is presented to an individual who delivers USTA Jr. Team Tennis to their community and embodies the true meaning of having a positive impact on children.
The award is named after Janet Louer, an individual who was instrumental in the development of junior tennis during her lifetime. As the administrator for USTA Jr. Team Tennis in Georgia, she built the state championships into the largest youth team tennis state championships in the nation. Her expertise also was utilized in the development of the Section and National Championships for the program.
Macksoud has been the area league coordinator throughout the eight-year history of the league. The Blackstone Valley CTA was the 2006 USTA New England CTA of the Year, thanks to its involvement in several key programs aimed at area youths.