Seggie Named PTR Humanitarian of the Year
February 22, 2012
Hilton Head Island, SC — Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) will present its annual awards this week during the 2012 PTR International Tennis Symposium. The event, which includes 50-plus on court and classroom presentations for tennis teachers and coaches, a tennis trade show and tournament is being held February 24-28, 2012, at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, in Orlando, Florida
Diana Seggie, of Bluffton, South Carolina, has been named PTR Humanitarian of the Year.
Although her mother competed in Wimbledon, as a young girl, Seggie grew up very poor. Her young life was impacted greatly by the kindness and generosity of others, and today she is devoted to paying it forward.
In her native Zimbabwe, and later in South Africa, Seggie helped inner city kids, street children and disadvantaged school children ages 4-19. She wanted to give these youngsters a chance they would not have had otherwise. Seggie wanted to keep them off the streets and busy, and show them a different path, one with hope. Her vehicle – tennis!
When she and her husband, Mike, moved to the USA in 1989, that didn’t sway her resolve. She saw many underprivileged children here in this land of plenty. Her concentration is now on those who desperately want to play tennis, but cannot afford the accoutrements.
Seggie travels from county to county and across state lines to bring free tennis lessons and clinics to poor kids with potential, and to some without talent. She collects racquets, tennis shoes and clothing from generous friends. Children who run to the courts enthusiastically wearing flip flops, leave with sneakers on their feet. Much to her husband’s chagrin, their garage is packed floor to ceiling as donations come in as fast as they can be distributed. Mike calls it Di’s Thrift Store.
Another passion is to bring tennis to wounded veterans. Having lived through war and witnessing its ravages, Seggie is trying to make her dream of tennis as a rehab option a reality. She was among the first to be PTR certified to teach wheelchair tennis.
Seggie sits on the Board of the Bluffton Benevolent Fund, and started a scholarship fund in her Sun City community that assists children continue with their tennis. She also volunteers with the coaches clinic’s PTR’s Special Olympics Championships.
Never one to draw attention to her endeavors, Seggie works under the radar helping others, just as she was helped many years ago.
As the recipient of the PTR Humanitarian Award, Seggie receives a $2,500 check from PTR Foundation Chairman, Scott Tharp, to continue her work. PTR Foundation is the charitable arm of Professional Tennis Registry.
PTR is the largest global organization of tennis teaching professionals with more than 14,000 members in 117 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.