Donnie Head of Richmond, KY has had a tremendous impact on tennis in Kentucky. He played #1 singles for University of Kentucky Southeast Community College in Cumberland, KY. He coached both the boys and girls’ tennis teams at Corbin High School to multiple regional and sectional titles. Donnie was named Kentucky High School Athletic Association and the Mideastern Sectional Girls Tennis Coach of the Year.
Donnie started the Mountain Tennis Circuit (MTC) in 1990, which became a USTA Kentucky Community Tennis Association in 1994. He served as President for 20 years and still holds a position on the Board of Directors. He has served on the USTA Kentucky Board of Director for 4 years.
Donnie has run numerous tennis tournaments, USTA summer youth programming and free clinics in southeastern Kentucky. Donnie was awarded the CSX Railroad, where he was employed, Volunteer of the Year for his tennis work in the community.
He was inducted into the Corbin High School Hall of Fame, and the Mountain Tennis Circuit Hall of Fame.
Greg Hill of Henderson, KY currently living in Sarasota, FL. Greg began playing tennis competitively as a jr. and was ranked as high as #1 in the Southern section and #35 nationally. Greg played for Texas A&M and was their first NCAA All-American in Texas A&M history and held the all-time singles winning record for 25 years. Greg went on to play competitively as an adult claiming career wins over Agassi, Rostagno, and Sammy Giammalva.
After his playing career, Greg was an elite tennis coach at IMG Bollettiri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Fl for 15 years. He was the personal traveling coach to Marcelo Rios (former number 1 in the world), Mary Jo Fernandez (French Open Finalist, Olympic Gold Medal winner), Iva Majoli (French Open Champion), Alexandra Stevenson (Wimbledon semi-finalist), Tommy Haas (former world No.2), and Vince Spadea (former world No. 19). While at IMG Greg has trained top tennis stars such as Andre Agassi, Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova, Tatiana Golovin, Anna Kournikova, and many more.
Greg was instrumental in the future of many tennis greats.
Dee Maynard of Shelbyville, KY has taken volunteerism to the next level and has made phenomenal accomplishments in the world of youth tennis.
Dee picked up a tennis racquet at age 50, and quickly became an avid league player and tennis advocate. She has been the Treasurer and the backbone of the USTA Kentucky “Gold Rated” Louisville 10 and Under Tennis Association (LOU10U) since its inception in 2011. Under Dee’s leadership, in 2019 LOU10U had 2227 registered players, the highest number in the country. For nearly 20 years Dee has been coordinating the tennis programs for Shelby County Parks. She was instrumental in significant increases in Junior Team Tennis and National Junior Tennis and Learning participation and has secured funding for wheelchair tennis programming.
Dee has worked tirelessly to obtain well over $100,000 in grants to bring tennis to underserved areas through programming and facility renovations. Dee has maintained her commitment to provide an opportunity for every child in the Louisville Metropolitan area to grow socially, physically, and emotionally through tennis in parks, schools, and community centers. She also served as co-director of the 2016 – 2019 ITA-UTR Tennis Tournaments in Louisville which provide regional players the opportunity to qualify for the US Open. In Mayor Greg Fischer's opinion: “Dee is more interested in helping others than helping herself. The world needs more Dee Maynards.”
Dee’s honors include, 2016 USTA Southern Service Award, Tennis Industry Magazine recognition as a NJTL Star in 2017 and Tennis Magazine recognized Dee as a Kentucky Hero. Dee is also a member of the Kentuckiana Business Hall of Fame.