Jonelle Smith of Frankfort, has been named the recipient of the 2017 USTA/Midwest Section Mel Bergman Award, the Section’s most prestigious award. The award is given in recognition of continuous and distinguished service to the USTA/Midwest Section for at least ten years. Smith will be honored at an awards breakfast on Saturday, February 3, 2018, in Indianapolis during the USTA/Midwest Section Annual Meeting.
Smith has been an influential force for tennis at all levels, starting with her local community. She was the Frankfort Senior High School Girls’ Varsity Tennis Coach from 1979-2005 and was the summer tennis director for the City of Frankfort Park from 1992-2008. She achieved her 300th career tennis coaching victory in 2001 and still holds the school’s best coaching record. Several of her teams made it to semi-state and won numerous titles. Smith was inducted into the Indiana High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2003. She was named to the Indiana Coaches of Girls Sports Association and has received numerous awards from the organization throughout the years.
Smith has volunteered for the USTA/Midwest Section for more than 25 years, including serving as the section’s President in 2012 and 2013. She was a USTA/Midwest Delegate at Large and has served on several USTA/Midwest committees. Smith also served as President of the USTA/Midwest Tennis & Education Foundation, the charitable arm of the USTA/Midwest, in 2014 and 2015. She also served as the Central Indiana Tennis Association President in 1994 and 1995. In 1998, Smith received the USTA/Midwest Stanley Malless Award for her service and dedication to tennis throughout her District.
At the USTA national level, Smith currently serves on the USTA Nominating Committee, and was the USTA Schools Committee Chair from 2013-2016. She was a member of the USTA Schools Committee, Junior Recreation Committee and Junior Team Tennis Committee.
“Jonelle is a very inspiring person and a mentor to many individuals at the local, section and national levels,” said Jay Hacker, Past President of the USTA/Midwest Section. “She is a true team leader and team player in the promotion of tennis across the country. She has always had the USTA and the growth of tennis as her number one priority.”
About USTA/Midwest Section
The USTA/Midwest Section exceeds 70,000 individual members and approximately 1,000 member organizations. It is the second largest section of the United States Tennis Association. The USTA/Midwest Section consists of 13 Districts in the following states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin as well as designated counties in West Virginia and Kentucky. The USTA/Midwest Section offers recreational and competitive tennis for individuals of all ages and abilities. Visit www.midwest.usta.com for more information.