USTA Florida Announces 2023 Summer/Fall Local Award Winners

USTA Florida is proud to reveal the 2023 winners of the Summer/Fall Local Awards. The USTA Florida Awards Committee and Staff recognized nine individuals within the Florida tennis community for showcasing what the sport is all about. 

Exceptional Player Award  

This award recognizes a Florida tennis player (junior, adult, senior, wheelchair or league) for outstanding performance including character, sportsmanship and/or tennis ability.  

Andrew and Thomas Lake, Davie, Fla.

Davie, Florida has been home to an unstoppable father-son duo for the past few years. Andrew and Thomas Lake have been dominating father-son tournaments on every surface. Back in 2016, the two were the top ranked pair in the country and held that until 2018, when Thomas left for school. 

The bond the two have created over the years is unbreakable and the success on the tennis court has translated off the court as well. “We started playing these tournaments in Florida when he was very young and then we decided to take it to the national level,” Andrew said. “These tournaments have been amazing for us in so many ways. Competing with each other, meeting amazing people who are now good friends, traveling together, and learning to win and lose with humility.” 

Connor Molina, Fort Myers, Fla.

USTA Florida is one of the best sections when it comes to Adult Leagues, and Connor Molina has been shining. He has competed in Men’s 5.0, Combo 9.0, Mixed 10.0, and more. Across these divisions, he has won multiple Sectional Championships, finished runner up at the Tri-Level National Championship, and finished second in his first season as a captain of his 5.0 league team. He has also received the sportsmanship award at the 4.5 National Championship back in 2021. 

In his spare time, Connor teaches tennis to his community in Estero and helps host the Southwest Florida Pro League. He also captains four league teams, while training to become commissioner in the upcoming years. 

Jan Negron, Orlando, Fla.

Winning isn’t easy and the grind to greatness is just beginning for Jan Negron from the Orlando area. Jan has been winning tournaments since he was just 8 years old. Now, as a 17-year-old, he is looking to continue his growth and become one of the best Florida players.  

In the Boy’s 18s he currently is ranked 22 in the section and is looking to build on an extremely successful 2023. So far, he has won six different Level 3s and went on a 9-match winning streak across three different tournaments. He was also part of the 2022 Lake Nona High School State Championship team.  

Winning isn’t the only thing that matters to him though, tennis teaches him valuable life lessons and has taken him on a wonderful journey. “It has enriched my life by bringing me a lot of happiness and having a lot of fun throughout the years,” he said. “I have made ,so many friends and these tournaments have gotten me the opportunity to play college tennis.” 

Betty Wachob, Panama City, Fla.

Being successful in just one year of tennis is already impressive enough, but what about doing it for the past 40? Betty Wachob has been doing that and more. Over the course of her tennis career, Betty has racked up 35 Gold Balls, 40 Silver Balls, and 13 Bronze Balls. On top of that, she has been the FTA Female Player of the year two times and earned the USTA Gold Slam Award in 2015 & 2016. 

She has also been selected to 13 different USTA Cup Teams, where she was a World Champion in 1998 and an ITF Doubles National Champion in 2017. She is currently the No. 3 Nationally ranked singles player and No. 4 Nationally for doubles in the 75 & Over division. This year alone, she won the Doubles National Indoor Championship in Lexington, Kentucky and the Singles National Grass Court Championship in Germantown, Pennsylvania. 

Betty was inducted into the Inaugural Bay County Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and in 2007 she was inducted into Bay High School Sports Hall of Fame. 

Outstanding Tournament Director Award  

This award recognizes a tournament director who has demonstrated excellent qualities and expertise in all facets of tournament administration including accommodations for players, draw and seeding procedures, court conditions, scheduling, and adherence to all tournament regulations. If the winner is a junior tournament director, the award will be presented as the Outstanding Bobby Curtis Junior Tournament Director. If the winner is an adult tournament director, the award will be presented as the Outstanding Al Mills Memorial Adult Tournament Director. 

David Ensignia, Continental Tennis Center

Tennis in Miami has been in great hands the past seven years thanks to David Ensignia and his efforts to create the best experience possible for everyone that comes through for a tournament. “We pay special attention to details,” he said. “Players and spectators should have the best conditions possible. We care about our facilities, the cleanliness, shaded areas, plenty of seating, and social areas for players and parents.” 

David has been running tournaments for Junior, Adult, and Wheelchair players at the Continental Tennis Center, giving them the best experience possible. “We try hard to give the best to the players and for them to appreciate the value of the money they are paying to play.” 

Alejandro Perez, Lake Cane Tennis Center

Lake Cane Tennis Center has been home to many Orlando tennis tournaments and Alejandro Perez has been behind many of those successful events for the last 34 years. He runs events for all ages and skill levels. From Junior to Adaptive tennis, Alejandro wants everyone to come out and enjoy tennis. 

“My goal is to make all the players feel welcomed,” he said. “I try my best to provide bananas for participants, run a good schedule, and treat everyone equally and with respect.” 

Brock Sakey, Roger Scott Tennis Center

A decade worth of memories, that’s what Brock Sakey has been creating for everyone that comes through his tournaments at the Roger Scott Tennis Center in Pensacola. You can find him running any tournament under the sun, as Brock loves bringing a diverse player base to his events. 

His top priority is keeping the energy up at all his events providing music, food, and drinks to his players. “I’m proud of everything our club does,” he said. “Having happy members and staff is my biggest achievement.” 

Paula Scheb, Bonita Bay Club

The tennis world has been fortunate that Paula Scheb, from the Bonita Bay Club, decided to start hosting tournaments in 2018. When she began, there were just three goals in mind. Those were to make each one special, leave a positive impact on participants, and make sure the club was a good role model for the tennis community.  

Paula runs the FineMark Women’s Pro Championship and eight tournaments called the Collegiate Open. She has seen loads of success with the Women’s Pro Championship, especially the last one Paula ran. “We have been told we should be a WTA tournament by the players and officials,” she said. “The courts are impeccable, the crowds, upwards of 750 on our biggest day, come out in full force, even with the first day seeing over 500 people.” There are tons of moving pieces to her events, and each has such a positive impact on the community. 

Tom Weadock, a tournament chair that has worked with Paula, applauds her leadership and care for every tournament. “I knew Paula was passionate about this event but working with her as tournament chair gave me insight into the many hats she wears and the balancing tight wire she walks,” he said. “We could not have done this tournament without Paula’s leadership.” 

Know someone worthy of recognition and missed out on this award cycle? Find out more about the ways volunteers are recognized throughout the year and when the next nomination period opens, by visiting ustaflorida.com/awards.