From Macon Area Tennis – At the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Georgia Annual Community Tennis Development Workshop, Macon Area Tennis Association and area facilities, players, and events received top honors in several categories. Recipients attended the Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening at the JW Marriott, Atlanta where they were recognized by tennis enthusiasts from around the state.

Adaptive Tennis Program of the Year – Macon Area Tennis Association’s (MATA) Net Therapy Tennis for Children on the Autism Spectrum

Now in its seventh year, Net Therapy for Children with Autism offers 3 free 6-week tennis clinics a year for children on the autism spectrum. The passionate vision of then Marketing Director, Jenni Eddlemon and currently spearheaded by MATA’s Events and Marketing Coordinator, Collin Wilson, Net Therapy is an Adaptive Tennis Program that offers an athletic outlet for its participants and their caregivers. “It is said that success is often measured by the lives you touch,” stated MATA Executive Director Mary Cay Morgan. “Many of our volunteers would say they certainly receive more benefit than our participants. We are thrilled that some of our NT athletes are starting to move onto some of our mainstream youth tennis programs.”
Net Therapy for Children with Autism also received the Adaptive Tennis Program of the Year for USTA Southern District. The program was selected from programs covering nine states in the district- Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee
The next Net Therapy session begins on February 22, 2024.

Junior Player of the Year – Ethan Lashley
Ethan Lashley is the son of Aimee and Derek Lashley of Macon. He began playing tennis at a very early age. He has been captain of his middle school tennis team and was a member of the 2021 JTT State and Sectional Championship team from Macon. He regularly plays in tennis tournaments around the Southeast. Stewart Akins, one of Ethan’s coaches had this to say, “Ethan has grown tremendously as a tennis player in the years that I’ve known him. For as much as he’s come along on the court, it’s so important to note how great he is as a person. He has truly been raised right by his parents, Derek and Aimee. Countless times I have seen him become close friends with his opponents, win or lose. His tennis ability is no match for his heart. When looking at the combination of skill and ability, sportsmanship, honesty, and integrity, I can think of no one more deserving.” Ethan is in the Eighth grade at First Presbyterian Day School where, in addition to tennis, he is a member of the cross-country team.

Adult Tournament of the Year – Mercer Tennis Classic
Having just celebrated its tenth year in Macon, The Mercer Tennis Classic is WTA Pro Circuit Tournament held each October at John Drew Smith Tennis Center. Attracting players ranked in the Top 200 in the world, the MTC offers a total prize of $80,000. Past winners include Taylor Townsend, and Madison Brengle. “This award is a testament to all the people involved in making the Tennis Classic such a success. The event has grown into one of the nation’s elite events because of everyone’s hard work!” says tournament Director Eric Hayes.

Male Captain of the Year – Todd Smith
Todd Smith of Macon, who is Associate Vice President for University Advancement at Mercer University, was the recipient of the Male Captain of the Year for the state of Georgia. Todd captained his first team in 2020 so that his sons, who had missed their senior high school season and final year of Junior Team Tennis due to Covid, could play together one last time. Since then, he has captained over 20 teams for various local leagues. “Todd Smith is devoted to his players and to growing the sport of tennis. He has captained 22 adult teams and played on well over 90 since his tennis journey began. He truly epitomizes all the qualities a stellar captain embodies, and we are fortunate to have him here with us at MATA,” Patsy Bendall, MATA Local League Coordinator. Todd was a previous JTT Captain of the Year.

JTT Captain of the Year – Jennifer Hornsby
The Junior Team Tennis (JTT) Captain of the Year is Jennifer Hornsby of Warner Robins. Jennifer has a passion for junior tennis. When MATA wanted to increase participation and create a vibrant local junior league, Jennifer stepped up and led the initiative as a volunteer. She captained multiple teams over the different age groups, recruited pros and parents to lead other teams, organized practice days and took the lead on two qualifying tournaments – allowing Macon to maximize the number of teams qualifying for the State JTT. “Jennifer’s passion and enthusiasm for junior tennis is unparalleled in our area,” says Mary Cay Morgan, MATA Executive Director. “She brings kindness and a quiet strength to her interaction with the junior athletes she mentors. We are incredibly fortunate that her husband’s military career brought her to Warner Robins and MATA.” Jennifer is also the pro that runs MATA’s Vet Therapy Clinics three times a year.

Parks and Recreation Department of the Year – Bibb Co Parks and Recreation – John Drew Smith and Randy Stephens Tennis Facilities
Partnerships between CTAs and public tennis facilities are crucial to a vibrant tennis community. USTA Georgia recognized Bibb County Parks and Recreation, specifically the facilities at John Drew Smith Tennis Center and Randy Stephens Tennis Center., as Parks and Recreation Department of the Year. This award speaks to the quality of the facilities and the staff that operate them as they are the host sites for more than 15 USTA sanctioned tournaments annually, as well as the host facility for the Mercer Tennis Classic.

Macon Area Tennis Association is the Community Tennis Association (CTA) under USTA serving Middle Georgia. We offer USTA league, adaptive programs, instructional programs for juniors and adults, USTA sanctioned tournaments for juniors and adults and social play for players in Bibb, Houston, Jones, Monroe and Peach counties.