Bellevue Parks and Rec Earns Gold Star Award

To honor their 100th anniversary in 2020, the USTA Missouri Valley is recognizing 100 deserving recipients with the Gold Star Award. This award recognizes contributions that recipients have made in growing the game of tennis in their community. The City of Bellevue Parks and Recreation’s Tennis Program is one of the recipients for this month. 

Christy Coy’s two boys have participated in numerous sports through Bellevue’s Parks and Recreation program. When they decided to give tennis a try, it left a lasting impression on all of them.

“I have always loved watching my boys play their sports, but tennis has been a bit different, in a good way,” Coy said. “Tennis seems to be a faster paced sport which makes it fun to watch.  The tennis program through Bellevue Recreation is perfect!  The class size is small enough that the children receive one-on-one instruction in addition to the whole group lessons.”

Coy’s sons also participated in baseball, flag football, lacrosse, swimming and numerous camps. She said they always put the kids and safety first, and the staff is professional and polite.

“If you are looking for a tennis program that teaches the basics of the game and makes it fun in the process, Bellevue Recreation is the program for you,” Coy said. “The instructors are patient and encouraging.  They really get excited when a child masters a skill!”

Parks and Rec Director Jim Shada said he’s honored to receive the USTA Gold Star Award. He said the tennis portion of the department continues to grow, and they adapt to the demand as needed. His favorite part is watching the children learn the sport and improve.