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Tennis Channel Names Winners in ‘America’s Top Coach’ Contest

May 11, 2021

Florida’s Jackie Bohannon of Sarasota and John A. Richards III of Orlando Win Top Honors, will be Recognized on Television Network, in Tennis Magazine and other Platforms

LOS ANGELES, May 11, 2021 – Tennis Channel has named the winners of its “America’s Top Coach” contest, conducted nationwide to celebrate the recent launch of its TOPSPIN viewer newsletter. Jackie Bohannon, director of tennis at the Bird Key Yacht Club in Sarasota, Fla., and John A. Richards III, the director of tennis at the Ft. Gatlin Tennis Center in Orlando, Fla., have won the women’s and men’s contests, respectively, and will be noted on multiple network outlets in the weeks ahead.

Bohannon and Richards will each receive a $500 gift card and a commemorative Tiffany & Co. crystal tennis ball. Both will be saluted on Tennis Channel and on the network’s website, Tennis.com, its Tennis Magazine and in TOPSPIN.

During February and March, tennis players throughout the United States nominated coaches who make differences in their lives. The top 50 were determined by the number of nominations received and by a panel of Tennis Channel judges. Two voting rounds followed to determine the top 10 and, finally, the men’s and women’s winners.

Bohannon, who is certified by the USPTA, PTR and Tennis Canada, discovered her passion for coaching while attending Stetson University and began her teaching career with Nike Tennis Camps. A Sarasota, native, she has volunteered and donated lessons, clinics, and equipment to Junior League, Boys & Girls Club, Southside Elementary, Selah Freedom, Operation Kindness benefitting Wounded Warriors, and Save the Seabirds. She tailors her coaching with care to each individual, especially when teaching players with autism, or training an athlete for the Special Olympics. She offers free evaluations and socials each week to make it easy and inviting for new players to try tennis and stick with it. Bohannon makes sure all players, whether competitive or social, have events they can enjoy and always have fun on the court.

Richards, a USPTA certified professional, works hard to grow the game of tennis in all areas including; introducing tennis to disadvantaged youth, Special Olympics programs and college placement programs, He is Head Tennis Coach of Special Olympics for Orange County, Fla., Boone High School Tennis Coach, and President of Central Florida Tennis Management Associates. He heads the National African American D&I Task force for USPTA and is a member of USTA Florida’s Amplify. This Task Force works to bridge the gap between the African American Community and the game of tennis, through initiatives including career advancement. Richards especially enjoys his work with The Posh Rock Tennis Foundation, which he created to help change the trajectory of Central Florida youth. Their comprehensive programming promotes physical, educational, and life skills that prepare their players for success.

“We congratulate Jackie and John for winning Tennis Channel’s ‘America’s Top Coach’ contest, said Jennifer Arianas, executive director, Tennis Industry Relations, Tennis Channel. “They are perfect examples of the many coaches around America who change lives in the communities they serve in addition to teaching the sport they love. We were overwhelmed with the enthusiastic support for this contest from our viewers and TOPSPIN readers and look forward to recognizing Jackie and John on the network.”