Nominations Open for 2023 USTA Missouri Awards

Another category that was added last year and will be given out again in 2023 is Adult Sportsmanship Awards. Four adults joined the eight youth players who earned Junior Sportsmanship Awards to highlight standout sporting behavior taking place throughout the district. Vogel is hoping for plenty of nominations in those two award categories.

“For adult sportsmanship awards, it can be hard to get players to nominate,” she said. “They’re involved in the match. Then the match is over and they go their merry way. That’s one of the things we really want to hone in on this year, and it gets more people involved.”

Individuals will again have the opportunity to nominate for the Event of the Year award category, which was another new addition in 2022. As with all the USTA Missouri Awards categories, Vogel encouraged folks from throughout the district — Springfield, Columbia, Jefferson City, Joplin, Branson, Rolla, Marshall, Camdenton and other pockets — to submit nominees so the awards can feature a geographically diverse flair.

In addition to USTA’s poster program containing a QR code for individuals to scan and submit nominations, Vogel is communicating more with captains and players to solicit nominations. She also has reached out to previous award-winners to see if they have deserving peers they’d like to recommend for an award.

With the adult league seasons wrapping up, Districts taking place and teams advancing to the Section Championships — not to mention loads of play opportunities for junior competitors — Vogel noted it’s a great time for folks to get their award nominations in.

With a year now under her belt as awards chairwoman, Vogel hopes she can help the district have an even stronger showing in the USTA Missouri Valley Awards. In 2022, both Kyle Wartick and Anelisse Garner collected section-level accolades.

While the 2023 awards ceremony date isn’t locked in yet, Vogel anticipates it will take place in November or December in the community room at Springfield’s Cooper Tennis Complex. To view the full list of 2022 USTA Missouri Award recipients, click here.