Calling Don Bly a “true legend in the world of tennis,” and a pioneer of the game in his hometown of Inglewood, USTA Southern California Executive Director Trevor Kronemann proudly presented the 92-year-old icon with the section’s highest honor – the Henry Talbert Lifetime Achievement Award.

Bly’s honor was bestowed at the annual 2025 USTA Southern California Service Awards night held recently at the Shade Hotel in Redondo Beach. The winners were recognized for their leadership and contributions to the game of tennis in Southern California as voted on by their peers.

In presenting Bly’s award, Kronemann spoke of the Oklahoma native coming west in the late 1960s and bringing with him a “passion for tennis that would soon become a cornerstone of his life’s work.”

In 1987, Bly became a full-time employee of the City of Inglewood, marking the beginning of a significant chapter in his career. Each summer, he coached an average of 340 children in clinics at the tennis complex, instilling in them the skills of the game and the values of discipline and sportsmanship. 

Bly had the privilege of hitting with Arthur Ashe during Ashe’s college years at UCLA and provided guidance to Richard Williams on nurturing the tennis talents of his daughters, all-time greats Venus and Serena Williams.

In 2019, the tennis courts at Edward Vincent Jr. Park in Inglewood were renovated and renamed the Donald Bly Tennis Complex in honor of his dedication to the sport. A steadfast advocate for youth tennis, Bly has been deeply involved with organizations like the 40 Love Foundation, a USTA SoCal NJTL, where he continues to mentor and inspire the next generation of players.

Presented by USTA SoCal’s Community Tennis Coordinators Camille Hanson and Sammie Xiao were award winners Prubgeet Singh of Redlands and Sofia Vongsouvanh of San Diego given the Youth Leadership Award.

Singh will be attending Duke University in the fall, where he plans to major in Evolutionary Anthropology with the goal of becoming an orthopedic surgeon.

Beyond the court, he has cultivated a deep connection to his community, evident in his volunteer work at Khalsa School Riverside, where he has completed over 500 hours creating and teaching lessons to build confidence and address identity-based challenges to develop the next generation of Sikh leaders.

Hanson described Prubgeet’s favorite project while serving on the Youth Leadership Council as he produced an interactive shoutout video with pro tennis players at the 2024 BNP Paribas Open, which reached over 10,000 viewers.

Vongsouvanh’s favorite service event has been her involvement in Hispanic Heritage Month, where she felt a deep connection to her Mexican heritage in the celebration of culture, sport, and community.

“With a heart for sports and a deep-rooted passion for empowering young people, [Vongsouvanh] has invested countless hours making a difference on and off the court,” Xiao stated.

A three-year captain on the tennis team at Patrick Henry High School, Vongsouvanh has volunteered annually at the California State Games with Unidos Judo Club, devoted her summers to teaching kids at the Mission Bay Aquatic Center watersports camp, and has most recently taught elementary students as part of her school district’s “Leader in Me” program.

Just about 10 miles away from La Mesa where Vongsouvanh attends school, Matt Previdi holds court at the Balboa Tennis Club offering his popular clinics. The Adult Tennis Service Award winner Previdi – presented by USTA Southern California Foundation Chief Administration Officer Linda Milan – was recently named the new general manager of HJK Ventures, which runs the tennis programming out of the Balboa TC. Previdi was also recently named the Male Pro/Coach of the Year by the San Diego District Tennis Association (SDDTA) and the 2024 USPTA San Diego Division’s Star Award. Previdi is not only a valued member of the coaching staff, but an expert stringer who has worked The Ojai, Easter Bowl, BNP Paribas Open, and the USTA Billie Jean King Girls’ 16s & 18s Nationals. A SDDTA board member, Previdi is also the chairman of the Adult Recruitment committee.

“Matt has offered so much to the Balboa Tennis Club in such a short time,” said Colleen Ferrell, Balboa Tennis Club General Manager. “Since he has arrived our programs have exploded exponentially.”

Tennis has also exploded in a huge way at Marina High School in Huntington Beach where Orange County Service Award winner Chuck Kingman coaches. Just in 2024 alone Kingman hosted approximately 50 USTA events consisting of junior tournaments, Junior Team Tennis, training camps, and adult league playoffs. These events are in addition to a full schedule of boys’ and girls’ high school team events, as well as the Sunset League playoffs and CIF boys’ and girls’ sectional tournaments. Kingman is assisted by coaches Cam Jones and Jim Robbins.

Milan was honored to also present the Organization of the Year Award to Gaby Millán, accepting on behalf of Teens Rise Foundation she founded, which strategically partners with Title 1 schools, predominantly serving low-income, first-generation Latinx students in South County, San Diego.

Eric Stephens, the affable Lakewood Tennis Center Director, was presented with the Junior Competitive Service Award by USTA SoCal Senior Director of Competitive Tennis Maria Goldberg, who said that Stephens is responsible for hosting more USTA tournaments than any other tournament director or facility in the country.

“He consistently surpasses expectations, embraces challenges head-on, and always extends a helping hand,” Goldberg said. “His unique ability to uplift and support those around him is unwavering. He is always the first to offer help, encouragement, and guidance, and his generosity with his time and expertise is unparalleled.”

Phillip Kim from Monterey Park was given the Curt Condon Spirit Award and presented by USTA SoCal Community Tennis Coordinator Bryan Hudson. Kim is the founder of the non-profit organization Love Set Match, which was established to share and grow the sport with families in underserved communities.

“Phillip is a people person and loves bringing new people into the sport of tennis,” Hudson said. “He makes it fun and exciting to learn and play. Phillip understands that not all communities have access to tennis. You will often see Phillip advocating for tennis programming at parks where tennis is not seen or played.”

Siblings Shaina and Adam Zaidi, the winner of the Eugene Jung Multicultural Service Award, started TuMe Tennis in 2022 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their motto is “Community Over Competition.”

“The diversity within TuMe Tennis is remarkable, showcasing a wide array of races, ethnicities, and professional backgrounds,” said Esther Hendershott, the Director of Community and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the section. “Members often express their gratitude for the opportunity to interact with people they might not have met otherwise. These interactions enrich their personal growth by broadening their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives.”

Twins Keith and Kirk Orahood, who shared the Wheelchair/Adaptive Tennis Service Award, are RSPA teaching pros who run a non-profit organization called T3Tennis providing joy and inclusivity for all players. In presenting their award, Kevin Finkelberg, Manager – Schools, Wheelchair, & Adaptive Tennis for USTA SoCal, said the Orahoods began their adaptive experience with the Wounded Warrior tennis camps in San Diego.

Bettina Marini took home the Junior Net Generation/Junior Team Tennis Award for her work with First Break Academy and was presented by FBA Executive Director Jerome Jones. A wife and mother of three children who works as a banker full-time, Marini has selflessly given back to the communities of Carson, Compton, and Gardena areas, by volunteering her time and running JTT programming since 2023.

Jones said Marini fields two to three JTT teams each season and has single handedly made it possible for over 50 kids to continue playing tennis when the program they were enrolled in had too temporally drastically downsize.

“Bettina has been an absolute lifesaver for FBA, our coaches, and families,” Jones said. “She has created the most loving environment for our kids and families. This is evident at each of our season ending parties, road trips to away matches and Sectionals.

Director of Athletics at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in Claremont, Erica Perkins-Jasper, stressed the meaning of family as she presented the USTA SoCal Family of the Year Award to the Settles family, including Paul, Kathy and children Ryley, Christian, James, and Caleb.

“The Settles Family serves the sport and sets an example for all of us,” Perkins-Jasper said. “You cannot bring up tennis in the City of Claremont or in SoCal, it seems, without someone bringing up that they once went to Paul’s camp or that their daughter takes lessons from Kathy or that they used to play doubles with Christian or Caleb. They are everywhere and have made tennis and our community a better place.”