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UPPER MARLBORO, Maryland.
(September 5, 2005) - After a car
accident, Brenda Gilmore was confined
to a wheelchair for life. Seeking
an activity that would exercise
her body and her mind, she chose
tennis. Applying herself wholeheartedly
to the sport, Gilmore became one
of the top ten wheelchair tennis
players in the United States. She
quickly realized that she could
use the game she had come to love
as a vehicle to help underprivileged
young people and she launched the
Prince George's Tennis and Education
Foundation. The program develops
self-esteem and promotes physical
activity, healthy lifestyles, life
skills, and academic excellence.
For her tenacious spirit, her dedication
to teach underserved children and
for working against all odds, Gilmore
will receive the 2005 Hershey's
STRIVE Coach of the Year Award presented
by the National Council of Youth
Sports (NCYS).
Gilmore coaches tennis as well
as after-school programs, tutorial
and college preparation assistance,
high-performance player support
and tennis camps for hundreds of
youth of all ages. Her dedication
to scholastic areas, including tutoring
and close monitoring of the grades
of all her players from first-graders
on, has resulted in 27 students
attending college with 12 receiving
tennis scholarships.
She has coached teams that have
provided summer and after school
employment for young people, community
service credit for high school students,
training for the Mid-Atlantic Junior
Olympics Tennis Teams, training
for players ranked by the USTA,
and assistance for players in preparing
for college.
Gilmore is an example of all that
is best in sport and in life. She
is a role model of inspiration both
on and off the court. Her nominator,
Allen Appel says, "Brenda is
not only coach of the year, she
is a coach for all time."
STRIVE stands for Sports Teach
Respect, Initiative, Values and
Excellence and the award honors
adult leaders for their "heartfelt
passion, enthusiastic commitment
and contagious spirit to help kids
succeed in youth sports activities."
This year, NCYS will present Hershey's
STRIVE Awards to two administrators,
one volunteer and one coach. Honorees
were nominated by team members,
parents or colleagues and judged
by a panel of NCYS officials.
"This award recognizes four
outstanding leaders, but these individuals
are not alone," said Stephanie
Moritz of The Hershey Company, which
sponsors the award. "They are
a reflection of thousands of other
youth sports mentors across the
nation that work very hard and expect
little or nothing in return. Hershey
congratulates each of this year's
winners and we are proud to be associated
with them."
Sally Cunningham, NCYS Executive
Director, noted that the shortage
of national spotlights for those
involved in youth sports prompted
the NCYS to create the awards.
"We felt it was time to recognize
them on a larger stage and to give
them the praise they deserve"
Cunningham said. "Many of these
individuals devote countless hours
each week, all while juggling full-time
careers, families, and other commitments."
Gilmore will be honored on Sunday,
October 2nd on the tennis courts
at Watkins Regional Park, Upper
Marlboro Maryland during Kinderfest.
The event is hosted by the NCYS
and The Hershey Company. During
the celebration, Gilmore will receive
a check for $2,500, which she has
announced will be donated to the
Prince George's Tennis & Education
Foundation.
Other STRIVE winners
Other STRIVE Award winners are
Lenny Silberman, Jewish Community
Center Association's Director of
the JCC Maccabi Games, who received
the Hershey's STRIVE National Administrator
of the Year Award. Among many exceptional
achievements, Silberman created
the "Day of Caring, Day of
Sharing" where youngsters are
taught the lesson to give back to
others in the form of a community
service project and to help "repair
the world." Silberman has also
been instrumental in advancing Israel
Sport Center for the Disabled, a
leading rehabilitation facility.
The JCC Maccabi Games are an annual
international Olympic style sporting
and cultural sharing event, which,
under Silberman's leadership, has
grown from 2,200 to 6,500 teenage
athletes. Silberman is committed
to sports being the conduit through
which children learn life lesson,
values, compassion and ethics.
Rob Martin from Perkasie Pennsylvania
has carried his vision to admired
achievement earning him the Hershey's
STRIVE Local Youth Sports Administrator
of the Year Award. In 1995, Martin
began transforming the Deep Run
Valley Sports Association's (DRVSA)
softball program to what community
supporters now say is now "the
luckiest sports association in Pennsylvania."
Through his exemplary leadership
Martin has shaped a youth sports
program introducing the "Everybody
Hits" program for special needs
players, implementing coaches and
umpires clinics/training, a youth
coaching mentoring program, and
more than doubling the youth participation
in the intramural program. Martin
led his association to raise substantial
funds to build a state-of-the-art
sports facility complete with five
fields, permanent fencing, a two-story
clubhouse, concrete block dugouts,
bleachers, a pavilion and batting
cages.
Martin is dedicated to creating
an undying zeal for the girls and
their families as well as a safe
environment for all children of
all skill levels to play. Martin
humbly says, "Every girl should
experience the fun side of the game."
Hershey's STRIVE Volunteer of the
Year Award goes to Janet Holliday,
who thirteen years ago became the
chair of the San Antonio Sports
Hall of Fame Tribute. The gala occasion
recognizes the legends in sports.
All event proceeds go towards young
hopefuls "Dream for Youth"
program which provides training
to disadvantaged children in the
Olympic sports of badminton, diving,
gymnastics, fencing, swimming, and
volleyball. Holliday is also an
active leader of the Go!Kids Challenge,
a fitness walking program for K-5th
graders and the co-chair of the
NCAA Final Four Division 1 Volleyball
Championship.
Holliday says, "I have seen
time and time again the relationship
between sports skills and life skills.
I will do my best to continue to
'strive' for excellence in sports
for our young people."
# # #
EDITOR'S NOTE: For more information
about Brenda Gilmore or the Hershey's
STRIVE Awards, please contact Sally
Cunningham, NCYS Executive Director
at (772) 781-1452 or youthsports@ncys.org.
ABOUT THE NCYS:
The National Council of Youth Sports
(NCYS) comprises the who's who in
the youth sports industry. Its membership
represents more than 173 organizations/corporations
serving 52 million boys and girls
participating in organized youth
sports throughout the United States.
NCYS member organizations include
Little League Baseball, Pop Warner
Football, the American Youth Soccer
Association and the Boys & Girls
Clubs of America. To learn more
about the Council visit www.ncys.org.
ABOUT The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company has long offered
successful fundraising programs
for youth in America. Its sponsorship
of the STRIVE Awards stems from
The Hershey Company's devotion to
helping children of all ages to
"Dream, Reach and Succeed"
in everything that they do. For
more information about The Hershey
Company and its fundraising programs,
visit www.hersheysfundraising.com.
Tennis
coach pursues dream, shapes lives
Diversity
News
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Brenda
Gilmore, Founder of the
Prince George's Tennis
& Education Foundation
"takes the cake"
and is the 2005 Hershey's
STRIVE Award Coach of
the Year, presented by
the National Council of
Youth Sports. Bet that
cake was made with Hershey
chocolate!
Pete
Waldron, Marketing Consultant
for the Hershey Corporation
(far left); and Sally
Cunningham, Executive
Director for the National
Council of Youth Sports
(far right); congratulate
Brenda Gilmore and thank
Allen Appel for nominating
Ms. Gilmore for the Hershey's
STRIVE Award Coach of
the Year.
Gary
Tobias, President of the
Prince George's Tennis
& Education Foundation
(left) served as event
MC and noted, "She
is not only a coach, but
also a mentor and a role
model and an inspiration
to us all." Gordon
Mikkelson, President of
the USTA/Mid-Atlantic
Section (right) thanks
Ms. Gilmore for her commitment
to teaching kids the fundamentals
of the game of tennis
with life lessons mixed
in along the way.
Creating
a "BIG racquet"
Brenda Gilmore is one
of the top ten wheelchair
tennis players in the
U.S. Gilmore says, "This
was truly one of the most
marvelous experiences
of my life. Thank you
for everything you have
done for me. Sunday (event
day) was fabulous. I'm
still in the clouds about
it!"
Silvia
Taylor represented and
presented Proclamations
for the County Executive
Jack B. Johnson and Councilman
Samuel Dean from the County
Council. U.S. Senator
Barbara Mikulski and U.
S. Senator Paul Sarbanes
sent congratulatory letters
of recognition.
Pete
Waldron (far left), Marketing
Consultant for the Hershey
Corporation and Sally
Cunningham (far right),
Executive Director for
the National Council of
Youth Sports, honor
Brenda Gilmore as the
2005 Hershey's STRIVE
Award Coach of the Year,
presented by the National
Council of Youth Sports,
with a crystal hand-engraved
loving cup trophy and
a $2,500 check made out
to the Prince George's
Tennis & Education
Foundation.
Ms.
Gilmore's event was held
at the Robert M. Watkins
Regional Park during Kinderfest.
Thanks to Myron Davis,
director of the tennis
bubble, families participated
in a variety of festivities
including fun times on
the tennis courts!
Betty Hewlett,
Commission for the Maryland-National
Capitol Parks and Planning
gives Ms. Gilmore passionate
and high-spirited kudos
as their "hometown
hero"!
Bob Voegtlin,
Acting Deputy Director
of Area Operation for
the Maryland-National
Capitol Parks and Planning
thanks Ms. Gilmore for
her determination, leadership
and making such a positive
difference in the life
of children.
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