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Our Serve: Benefits of Receiving, and Giving

By Peter Francesconi

We all want some recognition for what we do. Pro tennis players get that recognition when they win tournaments. But for most of us, it’s sometimes hard to find ways to satisfy our need to be told that our efforts are appreciated, that we’ve done a great job — that we’re actually important to tennis.

Frequently, we have to make these opportunities happen ourselves and seek out that recognition. And in fact, that’s exactly what we all should be doing.

No matter what you do in tennis, chances are there are award and recognition programs suited to you and your business. You only need to find them and apply, or in some cases get someone to nominate you; you don’t need to be invited or selected to apply.

Think of the organizations you deal with already — the USTA has a very active awards program covering everything from school coaches, to league captains, to CTAs, to facilities and more. And don’t forget, it’s not just USTA national; all the USTA sections give out awards, as do districts and local CTAs. There are other national awards, too, such as the ASBA facility awards, or recognition from the NRPA, but don’t forget local awards, such as from schools, the Park and Rec, Chamber of Commerce, or other retailer and civic organizations.

You also may be in a position to create recognition for others. Clearly, if you’re a retail store or facility owner or manager, you should have ways to recognize employees, which will help build a strong, committed team. If you’re part of a community tennis organization, awards and recognition can go a long way to helping volunteers feel valued.

And here’s another reason for giving, and receiving, awards: It will help your business. Think of the chances for publicity, locally and beyond, for your business or organization when you win recognition — or even when you give out an award. This type of publicity isn’t just good for your business, it’s good for tennis overall.

When your business or organization gains recognition, it shows sponsors and supporters that you’re worth the investment. Right after RSI’s Champions of Tennis Awards were announced in January, I heard from three winners about how the recognition helped them gain funding or other benefits for a program or project.

Sure, like we all do, you may be thinking, I never win these things, so why should I bother? Well, you never know — and if not this year, maybe getting your name out there now will help for next year.

But here’s another reason: Simply writing down your accomplishments, like on an awards application, can really make you feel good about what you’ve done.

Peter Francesconi
Editorial Director

See all articles by Peter Francesconi

About the Author

Peter Francesconi is editorial director of Tennis Industry magazine.

From the April 2012 issue
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