Brenda Dean has earned a 2017 Tennis BC Excellence Award, recognizing her efforts to develop and introduce the sport to a variety of age groups in the Comox Valley.
“It’s not just about me, it’s the entire community,” said Dean, who is the Building Tennis Community Champion for Tennis Canada.
She facilitated the growth of a local pilot project that started with a handful of children and grew to 80-some players over the course of a summer.
“My proposition was to build sustainable tennis programming in our region,” said Dean, who coaches with the Comox Valley Tennis Club and at Vanier Secondary. “I teach progressive tennis. I love to coach anyone who’s excited to learn.”
She sees the sport as a “medium to reach people.” When it comes to coaching children and youth, players learn about winning and losing, among other life skills, while having fun on the court.
“It’s a privilege to be on the court with ‘my kids’,” as she affectionately calls her students of all ages.
Dean is the owner of In Your Court Tennis and Fitness Academy. She was instrumental in the Comox Valley being named Tennis Canada’s 2013 Tennis Friendly Community of the Year. In 2015, she received a Sport BC President’s Award for her dedication, energy and commitment to the sport.
Tennis BC Excellence Awards, to be presented Saturday in Vancouver, acknowledge contributions by communities, coaches, clubs, officials, volunteers and players who help grow the game.