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Hilton Head Island, SC — Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) will present its annual awards next month during the 2015 PTR International Tennis Symposium. The event, which includes more than 40 educational presentations for tennis teachers and coaches, a trade show and tournament, will be held February 19-22 on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

Arthur Ashe will be inducted posthumously to the PTR Hall of Fame at the PTR Award Banquet Thursday, February 19.

Ashe is a legend. To this day, he remains a hero to people of all ages and races, not only for breaking color barriers on the tennis court, but for using his fame as an elite player to speak out – and be heard – against moral inequalities off the court. Growing up in the segregated South impacted Ashe, who became a groundbreaking leader for social justice and change. Health issues led him to promote heart health and lead the fight against HIV and AIDS. He even won an Emmy for co-writing the documentary A Hard Road to Glory. He did so much for so many in his short life.

As great ambassador to tennis, Ashe received many honors. He was inducted to the International Tennis Hall of Fame and the Intercollegiate Tennis Hall of Fame. He received the Jefferson Award for Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Named for him are the Arthur Ashe Athletic Center in Richmond, Virginia, his alma mater UCLA has the Arthur Ashe Student Health and Wellness Center and, of course there’s Arthur Ashe Kids Day and Arthur Ashe Stadium at the USTA National Tennis Center. The ESPY Awards annually present the Arthur Ashe for Courage Award.

In addition to his true humanitarian efforts, induction to the PTR Hall of Fame reflects his service in our organization. In addition to speaking at the PTR Symposium twice, Ashe played a key role in PTR’s quest to increase diversity throughout our organization. It was at his insistence that PTR began to require certification in our ACE Program, and he stepped right up to serve as the program’s spokesperson. That moment was the genesis that helped change the complexion of our membership. In his honor, PTR has restarted the ACE Program in 2015, to help educate and develop the next generation of tennis coaches.

A champion in the truest sense of the word, Arthur Ashe was – and is still – an inspiration to us all.

The PTR Hall of Fame was created to preserve history and honor excellence. The PTR Board of Directors elects members for enshrinement. Candidates must be current or retired PTR members, and must have contributed to PTR and the game of tennis in a way that far exceeds the norm. Induction into the Hall of Fame is considered PTR’s highest honor. Ashe is the fourth inductee, joining Dennis Van der Meer, Jim Verdieck and Dr. Jim Loehr.

PTR is the largest global organization of tennis teaching professionals with more than 15,000 members in 125 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.