2024 USTA Hawaii Pacific: Annual Awards
The USTA Hawaii Pacific held its 2nd Annual Awards Luncheon on November 16 which followed the Annual Meeting at the Ala Moana Hotel. The Annual Awards Luncheon recognized individuals and organizations for all they do to help support and grow the game of tennis in Hawaii. Based on the nominations that were submitted the recipients are listed below:
2024 PRESIDENT’S AWARD
Quentin Machida receiving award from USTA Hawaii Pacific President: Russell Lum
QUENTIN MACHIDA
The President’s Award is given to an individual or organization who has made outstanding contributions to the USTA’s mission to promote and develop the growth of tennis.
The 2024 President’s Award is given to Quentin Machida the President and CEO of Gentry Homes Hawaii.
Through Quentin’s leadership and vision, the USTA Hawaii Pacific was able to acquire 7 acres of land in Ewa Beach The USTA Hawaii Pacific will build a world class tennis and education center in Ewa Beach. Ewa Beach is one of the fastest growing communities in Hawaii with over 450,000 people living within 10 miles of the property.
The facility will be called the USTA Hawaii Pacific Campus and it will serve the Ewa by Gentry Community and it will be open to the general public. We hope that the Campus will be a gathering place for youth and adults of all socio-economic classes and cultural backgrounds.In addition to offering tennis programs, the Campus will be an education center offering a variety of afterschool programs to the youth of Ewa Beach and the West Oahu community.
The USTA Hawaii Pacific Inc, board of directors and staff, are most appreciative of Quentin’s outstanding service to tennis and the West Oahu community .
2024 HALL OF FAME AWARDS
OUTSTANDING PLAYER AWARD: Jan-Axel Tribler
The Outstanding Player Award commemorates an individual in the USTA Hawaii Pacific Section who is recognized for outstanding competitive achievements with condiserations of sportsmanship and character.
Jan-Axel Tribler came to Hawaii in 1999 from Denmark and was a three-time All-American recipient after competing as a Hawaii Pacific University Sea Warrior from 2000-2003. In his first year of competition, he finished 10th in the ITA National Singles rankings, was named ITA West Region and national Rookie of the year and was selected to the All-American Singles team. In 2001, Tribler ranked 13th in the ITA Division II Men's Singles rankings, No. 5 in the ITA Division II Men's Doubles rankings and was named to the All-American Singles and Doubles teams. In 2002, he finished fifth in the ITA Division II Men's Doubles rankings and was named to the All-American Doubles team.
Jan has continued to compete at a high level since college and has participated in many USTA Challenger events and international ITF and ATP events. He may have a record for playing the most Kailua Racket Club Men’s Night Doubles and he won the championship 3 times.
OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Mike Kinoshita
The community service award commemorates an individual in the USTa Hawaii pacific section who has demonstrated outstanding contributions to the promotion of grassroots community tennis over a period of time.
Mike retired in 1999 after 32 years as a teacher at Baldwin High School and has been running the Wailuku Junior Tennis Program for many years. He has dedicated his life to helping juniors get more opportunities to play tennis and he runs the day to day tennis operation at the Wailuku District Park where he has made a positive impact on the lives of countless junior tennis players He started free senior adult clinics at Wells Park 2 times a week since October 2022.This has generated so much interest that he added 3.0 teams to accommodate the new players.
Everybody jokes that one of three generations have either had Kinoshita as their coach or their biology teacher.
Mike started playing tennis in 1957, hitting balls against the backboards of Wells Park. His mother would drop him off to figure out the game for himself. He thought he was good until he studied at the University of California at Los Angeles during Arthur Ashe’s time there and decided it best to play socially. Mike’s decades of selfless volunteer service is greatly appreciated.
2024 OUTSTANDING FACILITY AND TEACHING PROFESSIONAL AWARDS
OUTSTANDING FACILITY AWARD: Royal Kona Resort Tennis Club
The Outstanding Facility of the Year Award recognizes a tennis facility for the overall layout, adaptation to the site, quality of the court surface, lighting and accommodations for players and spectators. An important consideration are the programs, open to the public, to include USTA sanctioned events and other programs designed to grow tennis participation.
OUTSTANDING TEACHING PROFESSIONAL AWARD:
Ikaika Jobe
The Outstanding Teaching Professional / Coach of the Year Award recognizes a teaching professional or tennis coach who has achieved teaching and coaching excellence and who has dedicated many years to helping to grow tennis participation. Important considerations include running USTA and other tennis tournaments and events and overall community service.
The Hogan Family, owners of the Royal Kona Resort completed a total renovation of the 4 tennis courts, fencing, windscreens and pro shop. They also put blended lines on 1 tennis court so it could be used for pickleball without interrupting tennis. Albert Murata, the Director of Tennis, has one of the most comprehensive tennis programs with leagues, JTT, tournaments, ball machines and special events. He also has a stringing machine and he is one of the top stringers in Hawaii. This is a beautiful tennis facility in the heart of Kona offering a wide variety of tennis programs and services to the community.
Ikaika has a long record of being one of the top juniors and adult players in Hawaii. He is the Director of Tennis at Punahou School. Punahou School has a reputation for being one of the top tennis schools in the State of Hawaii and beyond. They offer a wide variety of classes, after school programs, JTT, junior tennis tournaments and introductory elementary school tennis classes. Ikaika is also a high performance coach who takes part in USTA High Performance Camps. In addition, Ikaika volunteers on USTA committees like the junior committee, the coaches commission and the Nominating Committee. He is also the President of the Hawaii Division of the USPTA.
We would like to recognize our volunteers who have provided many years of service with an “Outstanding Volunteer Years of Service” award. These individuals have served 5-25 years on the USTA Hawaii Pacific Section board, a Section Committee, a Community Tennis Organization board or Community Tennis Organization committee. The following individuals received awards:
2024 YEARS OF SERVICE AWARDS
5 Years 20 Years 25 Years
Kaleena Fryer (Maui) Cathy Nicoloff (Maui) Jane Sakakihara (Maui)
Melissa Virtue (West Hawaii)
Jill Kanahele (Maui)
Leilani Punihaole (West Hawaii)
2024 VOLUNTEER SERVICE AWARDS
This award is selected by the Community Tennis Organizations (CTO’s) on Maui, East Hawaii, West Hawaii and Kauai and given to an individual or organization who has made outstanding contributions to promote and develop the growth of tennis on Maui, East Hawaii West Hawaii and Kauai.
The CTO’s have selected the following recipients:
Maui: Clarita Balala
East Hawaii: Lori Nekoba
West Hawaii: Nick Yamasaki
Kauai: Ernie Blachowiak
Oahu: Bob Clark