Chuck McGill, the sports editor for the Charleston (W.Va.) Daily Mail, is the winner of the inaugural Tennis Media Award, presented by the Tennis Industry Association (TIA) in conjunction with the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association (NSSA). McGill will be recognized at the NSSA’s 55th annual NSSA Awards Weekend in Salisbury, N.C., June 7-9.
McGill’s story, which was published in July, is about Tera Winfree of Campbell’s Creek, W.Va., who underwent a double lung transplant in 2009 and is now back to playing tennis and tennis tournaments. The judges for the Tennis Media Award said McGill’s inspirational story captured the best aspects of recreational tennis. McGill, who is a recreational tennis player himself and a two-time NSSA West Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, will receive a cash award and travel expenses to the NSSA Awards Weekend.
In addition, the TIA will honor four other journalists for their entries in the Tennis Media Award contest. Doug Robson of USA Today is the First Runner-Up for a story on a new technology that is helping recreational players play better. Three Honorable Mentions are Jane Havsy of the Daily Record (Morris County, N.J.), for her story about a tennis program helping children with autism; Blair Henley of the website TennisNow for a blog about tennis parents and family; and Scott Fowler of the Charlotte (N.C.) Observer, for a story about a former tennis professional and longtime coach battling back from cancer.
“Congratulations to Chuck McGill and all the winners for helping to spread the word about tennis and its benefits, for both adults and children,” said TIA Executive Director Jolyn de Boer. “We’re very pleased to see these wonderful stories about how tennis touches and improves lives in all ways. The TIA is the main source for all types of tennis information and research, and we’re looking forward to continued collaboration with the NSSA and its members.”
“We’re excited about our winners for this inaugural award and we’re pleased that the TIA has offered this annual award opportunity to NSSA-member sportswriters and sportscasters,” said NSSA Executive Director Dave Goren. “This is a great addition to our annual NSSA Awards Weekend.”
About the NSSA: The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association consists of more than 1,000 leading sportscasters and sportswriters from around the United States. More than 90 sports media legends have been inducted into the organization's Hall of Fame, which began in 1962 with the induction of Grantland Rice. The NSSA is the largest and oldest professional organization in the U.S. dedicated to the crafts of sportscasting and sportswriting and is the point organization for AIPS.
About the TIA: The Tennis Industry Association, the not-for-profit trade association for tennis, is THE unifying force in the tennis industry whose mission is to promote the growth and economic vitality of tennis by working closely with the U.S. Tennis Association and industry partners to develop and implement initiatives to increase tennis participation and improve the health of industry businesses. Core TIA activities include producing more than 70 research reports annually on participation and consumer/trade research, in addition to Grow the Game Initiatives such as PlayTennis.com, 10 and Under Tennis, the GrowingTennis System™, Tennis Welcome Centers, Cardio Tennis, Careers in Tennis and Tennis Tune-Up Campaign. Visit TennisIndustry.org or call 866-686-3036.
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