Chicago Awards

2025 Recipient: Vadym Kalyuzhnyy

Vadym's mission is to help players reach their full potential through hard work and the development of the technical and tactical skills needed to succeed as all-court players. Before becoming Head Pro, he led the academy program at Hinsdale, where he coached multiple state champions, state finalists, and NCAA scholarship recipients. Under his leadership, academy participation grew to more than 100 students, reflecting the strength of the program's culture and coaching philosophy.

Vadym's commitment to the sport extends well beyond his own students. He has been selected by the USTA to lead High Performance Camps throughout the USTA Midwest Section, demonstrating his dedication to developing players across the region.

The individual who nominated Vadym described him with two words: character and integrity.

According to his nominator, Vadym's top priority is the complete development of each student—physically, mentally, and emotionally. He is committed to helping players succeed not only on the court, but in all aspects of life.

2025 Recipient: Chuck Cunningham

Chuck Cunningham came to tennis later than many accomplished players. He learned the game as an undergraduate student at UIC and quickly developed his skills to the point that he was invited to join the university's tennis team. After competing collegiately and teaching lessons part-time, he was hired as the men's and women's tennis coach at UIC, a position he held from 1976 until his retirement in 2001.

Chuck's graduate studies led him to focus on junior competitive tennis as a model for organized youth sports while earning his master's degree in education. Throughout his career, he has conducted extensive research on youth sports and sportsmanship. He began officiating in 1977 as a volunteer at the NCAA Tennis Championships and became a USTA-certified official in 1982. Like Mary Seelig, Chuck has also officiated at the US Open.

His nominator describes him as a true tennis leader who genuinely cares about junior tennis and the development of young players. Chuck is known not only for helping players understand the rules of the game, but also for teaching and reinforcing sportsmanship.

Issuing point penalties or suspension points is not something Chuck does lightly. His first instinct is to educate, using challenging situations as opportunities for growth and learning rather than simply administering punishment.

Parents are always pleased to see Chuck serving as a tournament official. As one parent put it: "Good! Chuck is here!"

Volunteers of the Year

The Ace Award for Volunteer of the Year recognizes outstanding volunteers whose contributions support the work of the Chicago District Tennis Association and help grow the game of tennis throughout the district, including USTA Adult and Junior League play.

2025 Recipient: Glenn Olson

For the past 10 years, Glenn Olson has organized a mixed doubles league through the Park Ridge Park District. Motivated by his love of tennis, he founded the Park Ridge Mixed Doubles Tennis Association and has dedicated countless hours to creating enjoyable playing opportunities for local tennis enthusiasts.

Glenn's enthusiasm and commitment to the league are unmatched. Using a detailed spreadsheet to track player availability, he creates biweekly matchups designed to provide competitive and enjoyable tennis for participants of all skill levels. He carefully balances teams, manages last-minute changes, and works tirelessly to ensure as many players as possible can get on the court each week.

His dedication extends beyond league administration. When the Park Ridge courts fell into disrepair, Glenn became a strong advocate for improvements. Before renovations were completed, he often took it upon himself to patch cracks with duct tape and address sagging nets to keep players safely on the courts.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Glenn never stopped finding ways to keep people engaged in tennis. He created helpful—and often humorous—videos demonstrating how players could continue enjoying the game while staying safe.

2025 Recipient: Sydney Zusman

Sydney Zusman serves as an Adult League captain at Midtown Bannockburn, where she exemplifies the leadership that keeps USTA Adult League tennis thriving. League captains coordinate court reservations, submit team applications, manage player availability, communicate with opposing captains, and support teammates throughout the season.

In 2025, Sydney captained the Women's 2.5 USTA League team while also competing on 3.0 and 6.5 teams. She was deeply committed to ensuring her players had a positive experience learning to compete and be part of a team. With 14 players on the roster—most of whom had never played competitive tennis—Sydney went above and beyond to help them develop confidence and prepare for match play.

Her efforts paid off. The team won the Chicago District Championships and advanced to the USTA Midwest Sectional Championships, creating lifelong memories for its players. More importantly, Sydney helped introduce many new players to league tennis and inspired them to continue participating in the sport.

Her nominator describes her energy as contagious. Sydney became the driving force behind her team, sending weekly updates, match recaps, and encouragement to players throughout the season. She worked closely with coaches to ensure players were practicing and improving, and her passion for tennis inspired those around her to share in that enthusiasm.

2025 Recipient: Tuley Park Tennis Court Renovation Committee

The Tuley Park Tennis Court Renovation Committee made a lasting impact in 2025 by helping bring long-awaited improvements to the tennis courts at Tuley Park on Chicago's South Side.

Located in the Chatham neighborhood, Tuley Park has long been an important center for Black tennis and has historically hosted junior tournaments. Over time, however, the courts deteriorated and became increasingly in need of renovation.

Rather than waiting for change, the committee took action. Consisting of Rodney Johnson, Shirley Roach, Greg Jones, Porter Myrick, and Tony Frazier, the group worked tirelessly to advocate for court improvements. They met with park officials and local elected leaders and ultimately presented their case directly to the Chicago Park District Board.

2025 Recipient: Gladiator Tennis

Gladiator Tennis is a fast-growing, flexible-scheduling tennis league that began in Chicago and has expanded into communities across the country. Its mission is to make competitive tennis more accessible and enjoyable for players of all skill levels.

Using technology-driven matchmaking, Gladiator connects players with opponents of similar ability in their own neighborhoods. Drawing on decades of software development experience, the organization has created a platform that helps make recreational tennis more competitive, convenient, and rewarding. Gladiator offers both adult and junior leagues, providing opportunities for players at every stage of their tennis journey.

As a USTA Connect Recommended Partner, Gladiator works alongside the USTA to support the shared goal of reaching 35 million tennis players in the United States by 2035. Through this partnership, Gladiator integrates player data with the World Tennis Number (WTN) system and encourages participants to maintain USTA profiles. This collaboration helps capture play that occurs outside of traditional USTA competition, strengthening WTN data and improving level-based match play opportunities.

Founded in 2007, Gladiator Tennis has grown from a Chicago-based league into a national organization serving players in cities including St. Louis, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Denver, Kansas City, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale, with continued expansion across the country.

By creating new opportunities for players to compete, connect, and stay engaged in the sport, Gladiator Tennis has become a true champion of the game.