Congratulations to the USTA/Midwest Tennis & Education Foundation Anne Krupp Memorial Scholarship inaugural recipients. Lisa Gilson from Wisconsin and Dawn Crawford from Indiana are this year’s recipients.
The scholarship in the amount of $2,500 is presented to one or more USTA/Midwest Section tennis players of any age who need additional training or assistance with travel to participate in Adaptive Tennis, Special Olympics, or Wheelchair Tennis, displays excellent sportsmanship on and off the court, and exhibits the true spirit of Anne. She was a passionate tennis fan and advocate, working as a teaching professional, while putting much of her energy into working with Special Olympics Tennis, Adaptive Tennis, and Wheelchair Tennis programs. Anne was a USTA/Midwest Section volunteer for 19 years serving in various capacities.
Lisa Gilson started playing tennis in 1993, and still enjoys and plays the lifetime sport today. After several years of competition at both the Regional and State levels, Lisa was one of four tennis athletes chosen to represent Wisconsin on Team USA and compete at the Special Olympics World Games in Ireland in 2003. Lisa had the privilege of meeting Anne Krupp while competing in Ireland as Anne was volunteering as an umpire and chaired one of her matches.
Lisa plans to use this $1,500 scholarship to improve her tennis skills and fitness with the goal of competing in the Special Olympics North America Tennis Championships this fall in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. Off the tennis court Lisa has served as a speaker at conferences including the Alliance for Full Participation. Lisa also owns her own small shredding business.
Dawn Crawford started playing tennis in 2008, and has become an avid wheelchair tennis player. Dawn co-sponsored a new wheelchair tennis camp at Purdue University in late 2015. She served as a USTA/Midwest Section volunteer on the Wheelchair Committee from 2014-2015. Dawn works with other tennis players, clubs, and programs to grow wheelchair tennis throughout the USTA/Midwest Section.
Dawn plans to use this $1,000 scholarship to attend four wheelchair tournaments in Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Missouri later this year. She also wants to receive coaching and practice a couple days a week at Purdue University with a wheelchair tennis coach. Dawn has two children, and she is a part time substitute teacher.
The USTA/Midwest Tennis & Education Foundation is grateful to Anne's family and friends who started this scholarship in her memory.