Macon-Bibb Tennis Community Recognized with Multiple USTA Georgia Awards
The Macon-Bibb County tennis community earned recognition at the United States Tennis Association (USTA) of Georgia Annual Awards, securing honors in seven out of 26 categories.
The county’s Recreation Tennis Division received the USTA Georgia Adaptive Tennis Award for its work teaching tennis to blind and visually impaired students from the Georgia Academy for the Blind.
Bobby Walker, Macon-Bibb’s Tennis and Pickleball Manager, was named Tennis Director of the Year. Walker, who has been in the role for four years, has a 40-year career in the sport.
“The Tennis Director of the Year award is totally a team effort,” said Walker. “I am in the later stages of my career, so I am dependent on facilitating and empowering others to be productive. A leader can only do that if they are blessed with talented staff and supporters. Robert Walker, our Recreation Department Director, is one of the best bosses I have ever had. The two senior managers who work for me, Sarah Witherspoon and Robin Bateman, are dynamic and competent. I am truly blessed with a great team. I am thankful for them. We move the ball down the field!”
“I’m honored to have Bobby Walker as our Macon-Bibb County Tennis and Pickleball Manager,” said Recreation Director Robert Walker. “Bobby Walker’s leadership and experience has made Macon-Bibb County one of the top destinations for tennis and pickleball.”
The Macon Area Tennis Association (MATA) earned three awards: NJTL Chapter of the Year, Special Tennis Event of the Year for its “Back to Tennis Bash,” and Dr. Robert Bunnen Community Tennis Association of the Year.
“MATA has turned the corner in being a cog for community programs,” said Walker. “Mary Cay Morgan and her staff work closely with our staff. We put aside the idea of credit and work toward the greater good of the citizens of Macon. The other awards signify just that. Both organizations have the goal of bringing outside dollars into Macon to create economic impact and to create local tennis programming so the citizens of Macon can be healthier.”
USTA Georgia Award Winners from Macon-Bibb County:
- Jerry Baskin Scholar Athlete of the Year – Alex Hamlin
- NJTL Chapter of the Year – Macon Area Tennis Association
- Special Tennis Event of the Year – Back to Tennis Bash, Macon Area Tennis Association
- Adaptive Tennis Award – Macon-Bibb County Tennis Division (Blind and Low Vision Program)
- Signature Tennis Courts Award for Tennis Director of the Year – Bobby Walker
- Dr. Robert Bunnen Community Tennis Association of the Year – Macon Area Tennis Association
- James Kinkaid Family of the Year – The Angela and Robbie Bedgood Family
