Recognizing Mark Jeter, Mike Laughlin of Lincoln for Officials Appreciation Month

November is Officials Appreciation Month, and Nov. 11-16 serves as Officials Appreciation Week. As a result, it is a great time to celebrate our amazing USTA Nebraska officials. This year we are highlighting officials Mark Jeter and Mike Laughlin.

Mark Jeter was the president of the Lincoln Tennis Club back in 1966 when it operated the clay courts, along with the City of Lincoln, at Normal and South streets. Due to the high cost of maintaining the clay courts, Jeter testified in front of the city council to build hard-surface courts at Woods Park, which was less than two miles away. Eventually those courts were built and history was in the making.

“The old tennis shack was moved to Woods and was the only tennis building at the beginning,” Jeter said. “Eventually, the city quit maintaining the clay courts and Woods became the center for Lincoln tennis tournaments.”

The Lincoln Tennis Club later became the Lincoln Tennis Association, and Jeter continued to stay involved in that club and others in addition to playing and captaining USTA teams. As he got older, he decided to add officiating to his tennis resume.

“The friends that I have met through tennis are many,” he said. “The enjoyment and health benefits have kept me going these 82 years.”

When Mike Laughlin returned to his hometown of Lincoln nearly two decades ago, he was recruited to be a roving umpire on the courts of Woods Tennis Center. Today, after two hip replacements and two knee surgeries, he continues to help out when he can.

He’s helped out in other capacities, too, such as chaperoning John McEnroe and other pros from the airport to Pinnacle Bank Arena for the Champions Cup. Laughlin helped out when the Woods bubble collapsed from an October snowstorm, and he helped convince city officials to expand Woods.

His favorite part of being involved in the local tennis community is watching young players evolve from immature 12-year-olds to mature sportspersons before they graduate high school. 

Officiating is calling! Learn more about becoming a tennis official by clicking here.