Judge tennis coach receives sportsmanship award

Courtesy photo

+ Enlarge

Tony Lew

SALT LAKE CITY — Judge Memorial Catholic High School Boys and Girls Assistant Tennis Coach Tony Lew was recently honored by his peers for his sportsmanship. At the organization’s annual awards banquet on Feb. 5, he received the USTA/ Utah Tennis Association’s 2024 Mary Lou North Sportsmanship Award.

Lew has been with the Judge program since fall 2022, but he began playing at the age of 5, taught by his brother and parents as he grew up in Rock Springs, Wyo. He competed in high school and on the University of Wyoming club team for four years.

After completing his undergraduate degree, Lew came to Salt Lake City to attend graduate school at the University of Utah. He began working at the Liberty Park Tennis Center, helping out at the front desk and coaching the members. There he encountered Judge head tennis coach Tracey Valentine, who offered him a position at the school.

At Judge, Lew helps players work on improving the technical side of their tennis and their strategy.

This is his first time coaching a high school team, and “it has been very rewarding,” he said. “I really love tennis, and it is a cool opportunity to be able to share my love of tennis with the students at Judge.”

Lew, who also works as a teaching assistant at the University of Utah, takes time out of his busy schedule to coach the team members and attend their games, often making up the work later in the evening.

“It’s definitely something that I’m more than happy to make time for,” he said.

“I was a little surprised when I got the call from USTA Utah,” he said of receiving the award, “but I am honored as well. I’m glad that I’m able to make the Utah tennis community fun and welcoming for other people, to make it a good place to hang out and play tennis.”

Lew is a great asset for Judge tennis, Valentine said. “He is super engaging with the players. He knows a lot about tennis. He is a very good tennis player, so that’s helpful to hit against the stronger players.”

“He has really embraced Judge and the teams,” she continued.  “He comes to all of our Judge functions, and we can always rely on him to support the players. We couldn’t feel luckier to have him, and we’re going to keep him as long as we can.”

Lew expects to defend his dissertation and graduate from the U in December. He hopes to be able to find employment in Salt Lake City and would like to continue coaching at Judge if his schedule allows, he said.

Mary Lou North was a key figure in the Utah tennis community before she passed away from cancer in December 2021. This is the second year the award has been presented. The award is given to adult players who “exhibit the spirit of fair and generous behavior on the tennis court along with great sportsmanship on and off the court,” according to the Utah Tennis Association website.