2021 Mid-Atlantic Creates Award Winners Announced

Provider Champion Award: Forrest Lodge is the Program Manager for Sportable, an adaptive sports club, in Richmond, Virginia. They are on a mission to create opportunities and transform the lives of those with physical disabilities and visual impairments through sport. In 2021, Sportable hosted their first USTA wheelchair tournament, the River City Slam, in May. It brought in 56 tennis players from around the country and was described by one veteran tennis player as “the best tournament ever.” 

Youth Leader Award: Gauri Muliyil is a committed tennis player and volunteer with the Baltimore Tennis Patrons in Baltimore, Maryland. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she used her sewing skills to make several hundred masks for employees at a defense organization and volunteered with Johns Hopkins Aceing for Autism tennis program. This summer, Gauri is co-leading Baltimore Tennis Patrons tennis camps for low-income youth. She is spreading the love of tennis across Baltimore City. 

Adult Leader Award: Ruth Ann Bates has captained many USTA League teams across the Richmond, Virginia area. She has been particularly instrumental in welcoming new players to the sport. She has organized over 50 social league tennis events at the Midlothian Athletic Club to give new players a chance to experience and have fun with tennis. Her passion for tennis is infectious and she continues to make a difference on and off the court. 

Tennis in the Classroom: Brittanie Cahua helped develop and launch Baltimore Tennis Patrons' inaugural Virtual Tennis Classrooms during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Brittanie served as both the on-court model for a video-based series and the Live Head Coach teaching at-home-virtual classes to many low-income youth and families in Baltimore City. Each class followed a script that included a design your ball art contest, stretching, hand-eye coordination drills, sending and receiving skills with the racquet and ball, and tennis trivia. Her tennis in the classroom activities will live on in the memories of many children for years to come. 

Coach of the Year: Logan West is growing the sport in Washington D.C. for all youth players that are interested in learning tennis. Logan has changed the culture of the Girls’ and Boys’ varsity tennis programs at the Sidwell Friends School. He continues to motivate and push his athletes to be the best they can be. His motto for his athletes is GRIT & GRIND - this ensures that they are working hard not only in their athletics but their academics as well. 

Congratulations to all these incredible and inspiring winners. The 2021 USTA Mid-Atlantic award winners will receive their award and recognition at Citi Open on Tuesday, August 3. 

To stay up to date on these award winners and all things tennis in the Mid-Atlantic make sure to follow USTA Mid-Atlantic on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

USTA Mid-Atlantic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to promoting tennis and its physical, social, and emotional health benefits. Learn about our impact in the Section and how USTA Mid-Atlantic creates community, character, and well-being.