Hilton Head Island, SC - Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) presented its annual awards last week during the 2014 PTR International Tennis Symposium. The event, which includes 40-plus on court and classroom presentations for tennis teachers and coaches, a trade show and tournament, was held Feb. 20-23 on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Rich Berman, of Boulder, Colorado, was named PTR Wheelchair Professional of the Year.

Berman is a fixture on wheelchair tennis scene. He coached the #1 player in the world — David Hall — as far back as 1993. In 1998, Berman and Bill Trubey wrote the supplement PTR Instructing Wheelchair Tennis, and produced the video PTR Introduction to Teaching Wheelchair Tennis.  

Not surprising, Berman was named PTR Volunteer of the Year in 1999. Berman’s passion for wheelchair tennis was recognized in 2012, when USTA Colorado presented him the Arthur Ashe Award for outstanding contributions to the under served.  

He is so dedicated to coaching and expanding the horizons of wheelchair tennis, last year Berman launched a website — letsrollwheelchairtennis.com — with David Hall. The site offers video tutorials to help coaches and disabled athletes - or players new to the game - to teach and play wheelchair tennis. The website is 100 percent free.

Reserved and unassuming, Berman always gives credit to others. It is time Berman be recognized for his steadfast passion for wheelchair tennis and PTR.

PTR is the largest global organization of tennis teaching professionals with more than 14,600 members in 121 countries. It has the greatest percentage of multicultural and women members of any such organization. PTR is dedicated to educating, certifying and servicing tennis teachers and coaches around the world in order to grow the game.

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