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Jodie Adams, parks and recreation professional and longtime tennis advocate, is the magazine’s “Person of the Year,” while individuals and organizations from across the country are recognized in 33 additional categories in RSI Magazine’s 25th annual awards issue.

ATLANTA, GA. (Dec. 10, 2025) — Jodie Adams of Billings, Mont., a longtime consultant in park and recreation sports and facilities, including tennis and racquet sports, has been named “Person of the Year” for 2025 by Racquet Sports Industrymagazine in the publication’s January 2026 issue. 

Adams led off the magazine’s 25th annual “Champions of Tennis Awards,” which honor people, businesses and organizations dedicated to improving the sport and business of tennis and racquet sports. The magazine named a record 38 winners in 34 total categories. (For the digital issue, visit https://issuu.com/newsouthpublishing/docs/rsi_magazine_january_2026)

Adams had a storied 37-year career as the parks and recreation director in her home state of Missouri before starting her own consulting firm, Brio2 Solutions, in 2011. She’s been honored throughout the country for her unceasing efforts to grow the sport of tennis and racquet sports, including developing and improving facilities and infrastructure. 

“Without Jodie and her commitment to grassroots tennis, countless girls and boys, men and women … would not have had access to world-class facilities and programs,” says tennis legend Billie Jean King, herself a product of public park tennis and a longtime friend. “In Springfield, Mo., Jodie created an award-winning public park system. With 70 percent of tennis in this country played in public parks and facilities, access and opportunities to be part of those programs are the future of our sport.

“Jodie has also been a relentless champion for public parks at the national level and has inspired our nation’s leading sports organizations, like the USOC and the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA),” King continues. “Jodie’s life is one of leadership and commitment and that is a wonderful, strong combination to have.”

Adds Ted Loehrke, USTA Managing Director of Section Partnerships, “We couldn’t be more appreciative of Jodie’s tireless work as a partner and advocate, helping to lead the way for the growth of tennis in public parks, both locally and nationally.”

Accolades for her work in promoting not just tennis, but all sports, in public spaces are numerous. Among her awards in tennis are the International Tennis Hall of Fame Samuel Hardy Award for outstanding service to tennis, the USTA’s President’s Award, and most recently, the USTA Barbara Williams Service Award. In 2024, she was named the Billie Jean King USTA Public Parks Tennis Person of the Year. She is the president-elect of the American Academy of Parks and Recreation Administration, which includes top Parks and Recreation administrators and educators throughout the country.

“Staying involved in the game and supporting communities is all about ‘giving back’ for me,” Adams explains. “I’ve had so many people help me along the way during my playing days and professional work career that sharing my experience and resource connections with community leaders is the least I can do.”

“Jodie has been a true champion for this sport in every way,” says Racquet Sports Industry Editor Peter Francesconi. “She has made countless lives better through her tireless work not just promoting tennis and racquet sports but especially in making sure communities have the facilities and infrastructure to make the sport truly accessible to all.”

In addition to its Person of the Year award, Racquet Sports Industry also named winners in 33 other categories for its 2025 Champions of Tennis Awards (see the January 2026 Racquet Sports Industry digital edition at https://issuu.com/newsouthpublishing/docs/rsi_magazine_january_2026 for more on these winners):

• Person of the Year: Jodie Adams, Billings, Mont.
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Ray Benton, College Park, Md.
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Marcia Bach, Bloomington, Minn.
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Cliff Drysdale, Florida
• Tennis Industry Merit Award: Randy Stephens, Macon, Ga.
• Game-Changer Award: USTA Coaching, Florida
• Tennis Industry Service Award: Lisa Minihan, Edmond, Okla.
• USTA Service to the Industry Award: Marilyn Sherman, Orlando, Fla.
• USTA Service to the Industry Award: Jenny Schnitzer, Harrison, N.Y.
• Pro/Specialty Retailer of the Year: Ray’s Rackets, Sun City, Ariz.
• Private/Commercial Facility of the Year: Overland Park Racquet Club, Overland Park, Kan.
• Municipal Facility of the Year: Cary Tennis Park, Cary N.C.
• Builder/Contractor of the Year: Randy Resley, Littleton, Colo. (Court Builders of the Rockies)
• Commercial Executive of the Year: Scott McCulloch, Miami, Fla.
• Sales Rep of the Year: Adrian Bolton, Murrieta, Calif (Tecnifibre)
• Grassroots Champion of the Year: Laura Weygandt, Cary, N.C.
• Junior Tennis Champion of the Year: Nouri El-Hajjar, Queens, N.Y.
• Wheelchair Tennis Champion of the Year: Evan Enquist, Northport, Ala., & Orlando, Fla.
• Community Tennis Association of the Year: Abilities Tennis North Carolina, Raleigh, N.C.
• Stringer/Racquet Technician of the Year: Jay Palmieri, Londonderry, N.H.
• Public Park of the Year: Truxtun Park, Annapolis, Md.
• High School Coach of the Year: William Graham, Philadelphia, Pa.
• Tennis Advocate of the Year: Paul Pittman, Florence, S.C.
• Park & Recreation Agency of the Year: Chicago Park District
• Youth Tennis Provider of the Year: Don Johnson, Houston, Texas
• Adaptive Tennis Champion of the Year: Wendi Eusebio, Orange, Calif.
• NJTL of the Year: Sportsmen’s Tennis & Enrichment Center, Dorchester, Mass.
• Adult Tennis Provider of the Year: PHX Black Tennis Club, Phoenix, Ariz.
• Innovative Tennis Event/Initiative of the Year: INTENNSE, Atlanta, Ga.
• Innovative Tennis Event/Initiative of the Year: US Open Mixed Doubles, New York
• Benefit Event of the Year: Stars Serving Up Love, Asheville, N.C.
• School Facility of the Year: Ed Yarbrough Tennis Center, Jasper, Ind.
• College Tennis Facility of the Year: Hurd Tennis Center at Baylor University, Waco, Texas
• Public Tennis Facility of the Year: Vancouver Tennis Center, Vancouver, Wash.
• USTA Section of Year: USTA Florida
• PTR Member of the Year: Gavin Glider, South Portland, Maine
• RSPA Member of the Year: Bunny Bruning, Adel, Iowa
• USTA Coaching Member of the Year: Nancy Abrams, Los Angeles, Calif.

Racquet Sports Industry (formerly Tennis Industry), the largest racquet sports trade magazine in the world, has been covering the racquet sports business for 54 years. It is published 10 times a year by New South Publishing, Inc. (nspmag.com) of Atlanta, Ga. Available in both print and digital editions, RSI is the official publication of the Racquet Industry Research Group, U.S. Racquet Stringers Association and American Sports Builders Association. Visit www.tennisindustrymag.com.

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